In Another Life
by PersianFreak
Summary: High-school, alternate-universe, all-human! Sookie and Eric have known each other since they were 5, but things change, and people change.
1. Chapter 1

_**In Another Life... **_** by PersianFreak**

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: M

Spoilers: None

A/N: Alright, so this is an all-human, alternate-universe fic. Also, the characters are not necessarily the ones you know and love from the book or the show, so please don't expect that. Anyways, please let me know what you think; if reviews I will assume that nobody likes it and therefore, I won't post again!

PS I knoooo~oow I should be working in OMDB, or NC, or something that will possibly help me get into university, but I couldn't help myself. I'm sorry 3

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Sookie navigated her way through the crowd, ducking as that asshole Chow threw a football at whoever happened to be behind her. She paused long enough to give him a dirty glare and the finger (causing him to snicker) before turning to open her locker. She dumped her American History textbook on the shelf and grabbed her Calculus one, slammed the door shut and hurried towards the south wing of West Shreveport High School. She managed to make it with four minutes to spare, to nobody's surprise: Sookie had the business of going from classroom to classroom timed down to the second and usually managed to be there in time to grab a seat front and center, arrange her notebook and pens on the desk, settle herself down on the chair and smile a brilliant I'm-your-best-student-so-don't-even-try-to-deny-it smile at the teacher, just as the other students began trickling in.

"You really are a suck-up, you know that?" Amelia grumbled, dumping her stuff on the desk next to Sookie's.

"You might have mentioned that once or twice." Sookie grinned at her best friend just as Eric Northman walked into the class and her eyes flicked over to him.

"Eric and Sookie, sitting in a tree..." Amelia sung under her breath and Sookie had the opportunity to backhand her shoulder before the bell rang and Mr. Rayburn got up from his desk to do attendance.

"Sit down and shuddup," He ordered, and Sookie had to hide a smile; her teacher's attitude was the reason why she loved Calculus so much.

"Branton."

"Here."

"Cockburn."

Muffled giggling, then "Here."

Rayburn shook his head and continued, "Corbett."

"Yep."

"Daniels"

"Yo."

"Fick..." A folded up piece of paper landed on Sookie's desk and she glanced up to make sure Rayburn hadn't noticed before she unfolded it and read the note: _Ur coming to my party, right?_ Sookie looked up and nodded at Amelia, mouthing "Of course." and smiling in response to Amelia's grin.

"Northman."

"Yes, sir." Eric's voice was tinged with amusement, and Sookie allowed herself to turn and look at him, slouched in his seat in the very back row, tapping his pen on his textbook. He caught Sookie's eye and nodded his head in acknowledgement, and Sookie nodded in response.

"Stackhouse."

"Present." She snapped her head towards the front and ignored the way Amelia was glaring at her.

"Alright, now hands up if you actually did the homework last night." Rayburn glanced around the room, "Did you really, Northman?"

"Yes, sir. I've been getting tutored."

"I didn't realize watching Skinemax was considered tutoring." Rayburn commented and the class laughed, Eric smiling good-naturedly as the lesson began.

***

The Northmans moved into the massive colonial next door when Sookie was five years old. It took all of two days for Eric to wander casually over to Sookie and ask her if he could ride her tricycle while his dad watched from the living room window. It took another two days before Sookie finally agreed, and three more days before they were best friends. When Eric managed to scratch the shiny red paint of the tricycle several weeks later, Sookie broke the head off of his plastic G.I. Joe and didn't speak to him for an entire afternoon. When Eric blew her off and humiliated her in front of his football buddies eleven years later, Sookie didn't speak to him for sixteen months. It took a week of them bumping into each other while going for a run before they gave up and started running together. So, by the time senior year began, they were once again on speaking terms; almost-friends, but not quite.

***

"I don't understand you," Amelia complained as they made their way out towards the courtyard for lunch, "You spent the last two years saying he was a douchebag and that you didn't want anything to do with him, but suddenly you're tutoring him twice a week."

Sookie sighed and put down her stuff on their usual table, "I told you, we started talking this summer. He is still kind of a dick, but I'm just helping him with school shit; I'm not his best friend again."

"No, you're just the girl he wants to fuck."

"He doesn't want to fuck me," Sookie glared at her friend, "More importantly, I don't want to fuck him."

"Not that he isn't gorgeous," Amelia admitted, making Sookie laugh.

"What are we talking about?" Asked Arlene as she settled herself beside Sookie.

"We're talking about how Eric wants to jump Sookie's bones," Amelia quipped before Sookie could respond.

Arlene clapped her hand delightedly, "Ooooh, girl, he is _sexy_."

"Is not!" Tara snapped, throwing herself unto the bench beside Amelia.

"What's wrong with you?" Sookie frowned, stirring her ketchup with a fry.

"My fool cousin came out of the closet last night," Tara grumbled. Amelia and Arlene muttered "About time!" in unison, earning themselves identical glares from Tara and Sookie.

"What happened?" Sookie asked.

"His mom kicked him out of the house, called my mom, and then they spent two hours complaining about how their kids didn't turn out the way they had wanted, and that they hoped it wasn't too late for the Lord to save us all."

"What is Lafayette going to do?" Arlene asked, washing down her birth control pill with a swig of Sprite.

Tara shrugged, biting into an apple, "I dunno. He came to my window last night and I gave him money and food, but he needs to find a job."

"That blows, dude," Amelia commented, "Is he at school today?"

"Yeah, somewhere." Tara nodded, then glanced up behind me, her brows furrowing in disapproval.

"Hey," Eric put a hand on Sookie's shoulder and she turned.

"What's up?"

He glanced around at the three other girls before looking back down at Sookie, "Okay if I come over tonight? Are you free?"

"Yeah, for sure!" Sookie smiled at him.

"Want a ride home?"

"That'd be great, thanks."

"No problem. See you later, then."

"See ya." Sookie turned back to her friends, "What?"

"He wants in your pants," The three announced in harmony.

***

"Alright, do you want to take a break?" Sookie asked, standing up to stretch her legs.

"Sure," Eric closed his textbook and sat back on the couch, his eyes flicking down to her breasts for a second before jumping back up to her face. Sookie rolled her eyes and walked over to the fridge in the adjoining kitchen, rummaging around for a snack.

"Hi guys!"

"Hi mom!" Sookie called, sticking her head out from behind the fridge door.

"Hey, Mrs. Stackhouse," Eric got up from the couch and took the groceries from Sookie's mother, smiling charmingly at her. Sookie's mother was an older version of her, Eric thought: same smile, same eyes, and same hot bod.

"Thanks," Mrs. Stackhouse smiled gratefully at him. "What are you guys working on? Bio?"

"Calculus," Sookie gave up on the fridge and grabbed a box of cereal from the top of the fridge. "You want some?" She held out the box to Eric and he smirked, grabbing the box of Count Chocula from her.

"I think it's time to pick a new favourite cereal, Sook," He stuffed a handful into his mouth, "Lucky Charms, maybe."

"I like Count Chocula," Sookie grabbed the box back from him, "Don't knock the Count! Besides, I've loved Count Chocula since I was seven."

"That is exactly my point," Eric settled himself in one of the high chairs besides the island in the kitchen and took the box back from Sookie; she tried to get it back and failed.

"Alright, you two," Mrs. Stackhouse, having put all the groceries away, emerged from the pantry. "Break over. Get back to work."

"Yes, ma'am," Eric inclined his head and hopped out of the chair. Actually, not so much "hopped" as "slid", seeing as how Eric was 6'4".

"You're such a suck-up," Sookie hissed and Eric shot her an innocent look, popping the last of the cereal into his mouth and following her back into the living room.

"So, what happened to Will?" Eric asked, careful to sound nonchalant as he flipped through his textbook.

"We broke up," Sookie matched his tone.

Eric seemed surprised by that, "I thought you guys were happy; perfect for each other and all."

"He's a good friend," She shrugged, "But dating was a bad idea and he knows it. What happened to Pam?" She figures if he can ask a personal question, then she can ask one. Sookie isn't quite comfortable with this new Eric; the Eric that she grew up with was comfortable, and it took her a while to get over the natural instinct in her that made her want to tell him things and hang out with him. Going on runs was different because no actual conversation was required, and they could both concentrate on the beat of their strides and their breaths synchronizing. She had offered to tutor him when they had stopped in the middle of their run to drink some water one day over the summer, and he had accepted, much to her surprise. Now he came over once or twice a week and Sookie would help him with whatever he needed help with. "Are you ignoring me?" She asked when he didn't respond.

"No," Eric looked up, "Nothing happened with Pam, that was the problem. She wanted the quarterback for the cliché, so that she could say she was the cheerleading captain and her boyfriend was the football star, but that was it."

"Well, that's cheerleaders for ya." Sookie muttered, smirking a little.

"You used to be a cheerleader." Eric points out.

" 'Used to' being the operative phrase here," Sookie retorts, "I got tired of the drama. Besides, I don't have the time.

"It's a busy life, being the overachiever."

"Am not!"

"Right."

"Work!" She tapped angrily at the worksheet in front of him and he sighed, pulling his notebook closer. "Are you going to Amelia's tomorrow night?" Sookie asked a while later, still watching him solve the problems.

"I think so," He muttered absently.

"Cool."

"You?"

"Are you kidding me; Amelia would throttle me if I didn't go help her clean up afterwards."

Eric chuckled, "Good point. It was probably a mistake, inviting half the senior class."

"Oh, well, not my party," She shrugged, amusement painting her features.

"No, you just have to clean up." She laughed at him and he returned to calculus, occasionally making mistakes and requiring her help, and this went on until dinner time when, despite Sookie's mother offer that Eric stay for dinner, he left.

"See you tomorrow." Eric called over his shoulder as he crossed the Stackhouses' lawn.

"See ya."


	2. Chapter 2

_**In Another Life... **_** by PersianFreak**

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: M

Spoilers: None

A/N: I'm trying to make my chapters longer (I suck at doing that; _OMDB_'s chapters are ridiculously short). Thanks to those of you who reviewed; this is for you. Lemme know what you think of this.

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Amelia's house was located in one of the richest parts of Shreveport, which made it somewhat less than ideal for teen parties. Sookie and Amelia spent literally hours preparing for the party: hiding valuables and locking certain doors, moving things so that they would be less likely to be broken and making sure that the kitchen was empty of things like caviar and expensive wine. By the time the first group arrived, Sookie and Amelia were both tired and anxious to let off some steam.

The party was definitely a success, Sookie thought an hour later as she surveyed the throngs of teenagers drinking, dancing or making out. Sometimes more than one at a time. Amelia was off dancing with Sam Merlotte, a boy with shaggy brown hair and puppy dog eyes that did absolutely nothing for Sookie, but he seemed nice enough. Tara was intent on not having fun, and was therefore sipping cheap beer and watching other people make bad choices. Arlene was nowhere in sight, which of course meant she was making out with Rene Lenier somewhere and would only resurface when she needed a condom, a drink, or another man. Satisfied for the moment, Sookie headed towards the kitchen to pour herself a fourth drink.

"I feel like your drink is not nearly strong enough," A familiar voice commented just as more vodka was poured into Sookie's screwdriver.

"Whoa, hey!" Sookie gaped at Eric, "It's only ten; I have more than enough time to get entirely fuckered like I plan to."

"Fuckered? Did you just say 'fuckered'? You must be drunker than I thought."

"Is 'drunker' even a word?" Sookie frowned through the fog in her brain.

"You're the one in AP English, you tell me." Eric grinned down at her, his sapphire eyes sparkling in the light.

"I'm pretty sure it's not."

"Well, you're too drunk for me to trust you and not drunk enough to stop caring about my English, so drink up."

Sookie downed the rest of her drink, wincing at the burn, "Are you trying to get me drunk so you can have your way with me?" She teased and he smiled.

"No, I just want to see you smile like you used to." Eric tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear and she wobbled unsteadily on her feet.

"I smile!"

"Not like you used to," He repeated.

"What do you care; you threw away eleven years of friendship because your football buddies decided my boobs weren't big enough for you to associate yourself with me." She snapped and poured herself more alcohol and juice.

"Sookie, that was two years ago." He reasoned guiltily.

"And just for your information, I'm a D-cup now, so it was your loss!" Sookie continued drunkenly.

"I don't care about the boobs, but it _was_ my loss."

"I care about my boobs," She frowned down at her chest.

"They're nice boobs," He smiled.

"I missed you," She sighed in a sudden moment of clarity. "People are supposed to have their best friends when they go to high school and you prioritized and decided I wasn't important enough."

"I'm sorry," Eric murmured.

"Are you really?"

"You were my best friend, of course I am. I was a dick to you because I wanted to fit in and the only way I could fit in was to be one of them."

"Was it worth it?" Sookie steadied herself by putting a hand on Eric's chest.

"I like football," Eric shrugged, "Past that, not so much."

Sookie nodded slowly, "Alright." She spun on her heels and began walking away.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to go be an irresponsible teenager and forget about the shit that bothers me."

"Okay," Eric nodded and turned away, taking a shot of vodka as Sookie watched.

***

Sookie stumbled up the stairs, making sure nobody was around as she entered the code into the hi-tech keypad outside the master bedroom.

"Are you breaking and entering?"

"Jesus, Eric, why are you following me?"

"I haven't seen you for three hours, how am I following you?!"

"Whatever," Sookie sighed and opened the door, grinning as the motion-sensitive sensors flicked on the lights to a low setting.

"I didn't realize people actually lived like this," Eric took in the room, "A four-poster bed? Are you kidding me?"

"Amelia's dad is a stockbroker in New York; her mom refused to move from Shreveport. He only comes home for the weekends."

"Is that where they are this weekend? Her parents?" Eric asked with surprising clarity considering the number of shots he had had.

"Yep, her mom went to help out her dad with decorera- decorta- house stuff."

"Oh," He mused just before he bent down and kissed her, not letting her emerge until she was entirely breathless.

"Eric," She whispered when his mouth moved down her neck.

"Say 'no'," He breathed against her skin, "Say 'no' and I will back off. I will walk away." Instead of responding, Sookie opted for pulling his face to hers. This kiss was anything but gentle, with Eric sucking on Sookie's tongue like he would die without it, and Sookie couldn't help but to moan into his mouth. She slipped her hands under his shirt, digging her fingernails into his skin before pulling his shirt up. Eric obediently broke away and raised his arms so she could slide his shirt entirely off.

"Bed?" Eric breathed and Sookie nodded, following Eric and his mouth towards the bed and straddling his hips when they were finally settled on top of the covers. Sookie's dress quickly followed Eric's shirt and it wasn't long before Eric was sucking on Sookie's nipples, the sensations alone making her lightheaded with pleasure.

"Condom?" Sookie gasped and Eric twisted until he was on top of her on the bed, his hips between her legs. He took a moment to remove the small square of foil from his pocket before sitting back to unbutton his pants and shove them and his underwear down his hips. Sookie sat up to help him push them the rest of the way down his legs, but she couldn't help ogling him. Eric was incredibly endowed, and seemingly impossibly hard.

"Lie back," He whispered, his hands tugging off her underwear when she did. His mouth left a trail of kisses up her torso, sucking urgently when he reached her neck, biting and leaving marks on the soft skin of her shoulders.

"Gimme," Sookie ordered and he handed her the packet, his hands rubbing up and down her legs as she ripped open the foil and thanked the gods of liquor for letting her only fumble a little as she slid the latex unto him. He moaned a little at her touch and her eyes snapped up to his, brand new arousal lighting them up. She lay back again and Eric settled himself between her legs. They kissed again, and Eric's hands travelled down to her core, eliciting a gasp from her as his fingers began rubbing her before sliding in.

"Ohmigod," Sookie mumbled, arching her back.

"You're so wet," He groaned and positioned himself, ready to push in.

"Now," She breathed and he obliged, pushing in roughly.

"Ow, ow, Eric, ow," The words tumbled out and Sookie squeezed her eyes shut, a single tear escaping in the half-dark.

"Sorry, sorry," Eric kissed her neck apologetically, "You okay?"

Sookie took a second until she could mean it before responding with "Yeah, don't stop." Eric inside of her was the strangest feeling in the world to Sookie, though not necessarily bad. Actually, the more he moved inside of her, the more the pain faded and was replaced by pleasure. It was definitely elating, Sookie thought, being made love to by the best-looking guy in the entire school. Sookie's fingers dug into his hips before sliding over to his ass and pushing him in further. She could feel something building up inside of her, a pressure begging to be released.

"Sookie," He made a small noise and that was enough to send Sookie over the edge. Stars exploded in front of her eyes and she made a high sound, tightening her legs around him and causing Eric himself to climax and collapse on top of her. They lay there for a seemingly long time, the sound of their ragged breathing loud in each other's ears.

Once she could form sentences again, Sookie giggled, "You're heavy."

"Hmmm," Eric kissed her chest and wriggled off of her, grinning drunkenly as he bent down and kissed her again. Sookie giggled again and leaned into him, and they kissed until they both passed out from a mix of exhaustion and intoxication.

***

_Damn you, Grey Goose, _Sookie cursed as she slowly opened her eyes. Wincing at the morning light, she turned her head slowly and gasped. Biting her lip, she slid out of bed, gathering her clothes as she headed to the master bathroom. In an attempt at steadying herself, she placed her hands flat on the counter and stared at herself in the mirror.

"I had sex..." She mused, running her hands across the angry marks on her chest. "I had sex with Eric." Satisfied that she could easily hide the marks, she used the bathroom, hissing at the pain between her legs and at the dried blood there. She dressed quickly after that and emerged from the bathroom to find Eric standing shirtless by the window.

"That was your first time, wasn't it?" He asked, sounding bewildered, turning as she entered.

"Yeah."

"Jesus, Sook, why didn't you tell me?"

Sookie shrugged inadequately, "I was too busy with other things."

"That's not funny."

"Eric, relax!" She took a step forward and then thought against it, remembering that she was no longer allowed to be that close to him. "It... It doesn't have to mean anything. I mean, we were both drunk out of our minds."

Eric nodded uncertainly and then looked at the bed, "Amelia is going to kill us for having sex in her parents' bed."

"Oh, yes, but if we stay and help her clean up, she'll be less homicidal."

Eric sighed, "Damn. Alright."

Sookie smiled, "Come on, let's go inventory the casualties." He grabbed his shirt and followed her out of the room and down the stairs. There weren't many people left in the house, and those that remained were in the process of getting up from their piles of blankets and couch cushions, looking horribly hung over.

"Good party," Sookie smiled as Amelia emerged from the kitchen.

"Thanks," She groaned from behind her mug of black coffee. "Alright, whoever is still here at eleven will be helping me with clean-up!" There was an immediate burst of energy and the remaining partygoers began heading out. "Figures." Amelia grumbled before turning to Eric. "Why are you still here?"

"I thought I would help out with clean-up," Eric shrugged.

"Are you serious?"

"Sure," He shrugged again and glanced uncertainly at Sookie. Amelia's eyes glanced back and forth between Eric and Sookie and she nodded slowly.

"Sookie, is there something you need to tell me?" Sookie bit her lip and glanced at Eric, who rolled his eyes.

"Oh, you might as well tell her now." He called as he headed towards the kitchen. "I need coffee."

"We had sex," Sookie squeezed her eyes shut and waited for the shit to hit the fan. She was not disappointed.

"You did _WHAT_?" Sookie opened one eye, "Please tell me you were drunk."

"I was," She confirmed hastily, "And I'm pretty sure we're not together. I _know_ we're not together."

"But you want to be?" Amelia whispered.

"No," Sookie shook her head, "I haven't wanted that since I was 13!"

"Haven't wanted what?" Eric stuck his head out from the kitchen.

"Black coffee," Amelia responded quickly, "She likes it with two creams and two sugars." Eric rolled his eyes and disappeared again.

"So, you lost your virginity to your ex-best friend with whom you only recently started talking to. Not that he isn't gorgeous." They both said the last part and burst out laughing. "Are you okay with this?" Amelia asked a while later.

"I don't know." She bit her lip, "I mean, I'm physically attracted to him, but it's never going to go further than that."

"How do you know-"

"Coffee?" Eric walked out of the kitchen holding two mugs of coffee, and waited until Sookie had accepted hers before reaching into his pocket and pulling out aspirin and offering it to the other two.

"I never liked you, but I think I'm beginning to change my mind." Amelia decided, having just downed two pills.

"You're a pal," Eric responded with only a hint of irony.

"Hey, you're one to talk: you deflowered my best friend!"

"_Amelia_!"

"What, he did!"

Sookie rolled her eyes and stomped away, far too embarrassed to remain standing with them.

***

Cleaning up took all Sunday. First to take care of were the half-dozen puddles of vomit; none of which, thankfully, were on the Persian rugs. Next were the crumbs of food and bottles of alcohol strewn about the place. By the time dinner came around, the three of them only wanted to collapse on Amelia's family-room couch, order a pizza and watch crappy television. Sookie tried to pretend that it was entirely normal for Eric to put his head in her lap, and the fact that he threw his legs over Amelia's only confirmed this. They watched some show with bad acting about vampires, and Eric scoffed every time Amelia swooned over the big blonde on the show.

"I think he's asleep," Amelia whispered a while later. Sookie, who had been absentmindedly running her hands through Eric's hair, looked down to find that he did indeed look to be asleep.

"What if I like him?" Sookie asked, careful not to wake him.

"Then I don't think it's one-sided," Amelia smiled sadly.

"You think I'm an idiot, don't you?"

"No," She shook her head, "I think you know him better than anyone, and I have no business telling you who to like."

Sookie nodded, still looking down at Eric. "I have to get home." It was Amelia's turn to nod wordlessly.

"Eric?" She shook his shoulder lightly, "Eric, wake up, we have to go home."

"I wanna sleep," He mumbled and turned his to bury his face in her stomach.

She chuckled, "I know. Give me your keys and I'll drive us both home." Eric finally got up with a groan, careful to not kick Amelia as he did.

"Thanks for the party, 'Melia," He mumbled, rummaging in his pockets for his car keys.

"Thanks for helping clean up." Amelia responded with an amused smile. Eric held out his hand and deposited the keys in Sookie's hand.

"Bye, Mel," Sookie called over her shoulder.

"Bye, Sook. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"How is that going to limit me at all?" Sookie threw over her shoulder, laughing at Amelia's "Fuck you very much."

Eric was asleep the moment he sat down and did not wake up until Sookie pulled into his driveway.


	3. Chapter 3

_**In Another Life... **_** by PersianFreak**

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: M

Spoilers: None

A/N: Much love to everyone who reviewed: you guys make my life. Just fyi, both West Shreveport High School and Shreveport General Hospital are fictional locations, or if they aren't, I wasn't aware of it when I wrote them into my story. Lemme know what you think.

In other news: I'm halfway through the next chapters of both OMDB and NC, so if you're a fan of my other stories, I promise I will update soon!!

* * *

Sookie's hair was always such a pain to brush when it was wet; she knew this and yet she couldn't bring herself to cut it off, so she sucked it up and always spent a good twenty minutes trying to untangle the golden strands before getting ready for bed. She glanced out of her window as she did, pausing as she caught the familiar figure wandering outside. Frowning, she hurried downstairs and out the door, her brush left abandoned on her bed.

"Hey!" She called, crossing the lawn dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a hoodie.

"Hi," Eric looked up from where he was sitting in the middle of his driveway and scrambled to his feet, brushing the dirt off of his clothes.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh," Eric gestured towards his house but then seemed to change his mind, "Just needed to get some air."

"Is your dad drinking again?" She asked softly, knowing full well about Mr. Northman's drinking habits since his wife had passed away four years after they had moved to Shreveport.

"'Again'?" Eric chuckled bitterly, "He's an alcoholic, Sook. There is no 'again'. It's just how he always is."

Sookie nodded, "Have you eaten?"

He shook his head and shrugged, "It's fine. He'll pass out soon and I'll go back in."

"It's not fine. Come on, we had roast beef, and I feel like making a sandwich. Join me?"

"Sook, you don't-"

"Come on!" She took a hold of his hand and began leading him inside.

"Sook, what's going on?" Sookie's mom appeared at the top of the stairs once they were inside.

"Nothing, it's just Eric." That was all the explanation required for Mrs. Stackhouse: her daughter and the neighbour's son had spent far too much time together in their lives for this to be anything unusual, though it had become a rarity in the past few years. Eric called out "Hello" and then they set to make themselves roast beef sandwiches, Sookie's without tomatoes and Eric's without mayo. Having fulfilled this goal, the two went back outside, this time into the backyard. Sookie returned inside and emerged a moment later with two blankets, one of which she laid out on the grass. The two sat down and ate, mostly wordlessly, and when all remnants of their food was gone they lay down and stared up at the stars as they had done countless times as children.

"Don't be a blanket hog," Sookie grumbled, pulling the second blanket a little tighter around herself.

"I know you are, but what am I?" Eric mumbled (already half-asleep) and they both laughed, the sounds of their laughter reverberating in the dark loneliness of the suburbs.

***

"So, um, do you want to have sex?" Sookie asked casually, glancing up through her lashes at Eric. He dropped his pencil and bent down to pick it, studying Sookie curiously.

"What, now?"

Sookie shrugged despite the bolt of electricity running down her spine, "My parents won't be home until late; they're at some fundraiser. It doesn't have to mean anything." Eric continued to regard her uncertainly. "We don't have to, if you don't want to."

"Why?"

"Why... do I want to have sex with you?" Sookie guessed, unsure of what his question actually was. He nodded and Sookie shrugged again. "I don't know; I liked having sex with you and I guess I trust you. It doesn't have to mean anything." She repeated.

"You keep saying that!" Eric's calm demeanour was suddenly gone; replaced with irritation.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand what you're angry about!"

Eric groaned and stood up from the couch, throwing his pencil unto his notebook and watching it roll off, falling once more onto the carpet. "No, Sookie, I don't want to have sex with you."

"Alright; that's all you had to say!" Sookie exclaimed, masterfully hiding her humiliation.

"You just keep fucking saying that it doesn't have to mean anything!"

She glared up at him, "What, you want strings attached?"

"Wh- Can't you see, Sook? With you, it didn't mean 'nothing' and it won't ever be _just_ sex."

"What the hell does that mean?" Sookie stood up and took a step towards him, watching him still. "What, do you like me?" Eric looked away, scoffing. "Answer me."

"What does it matter?" He retorted defiantly.

"It matters if you feel the same way I do." Her voice softened and she had to bite her lip to hold back.

Eric shook his head, "No, it doesn't, because I can't ever give you what you want."

"And what exactly is that?"

"I won't ever be the perfect date or the perfect boyfriend. I won't show up at your window with a dozen roses on our anniversary, I won't carry your books for you and open doors and give up my seat. I'm not some fucking prince charming, Sook."

"Who _asked _you to be?!"

"You do!" He half-yelled, "Every time you look at me it's like you want me to declare my undying love for you, and I won't do that. I can't."

They stood there for what seemed like an eternity; until Sookie became painfully aware of how her hair brushed against her shoulder blades and just how she shifted her weight awkwardly as she stood, mere inches away from Eric.

"I'm tired tonight, Eric, can we finish this another time?" She asked finally, nodding at their splayed homework.

"Of course," He gathered his stuff, throwing them haphazardly into his backpack and hurrying out as if afraid she would lash out at him. He muttered goodbye and then he was gone. It wasn't until the sound of his footsteps on her front porch had faded that she realized his pencil was still lying underneath the coffee table. She left it there and sought refuge in her room, crawling under her comforter and pretending that nothing could touch her.

That night she cried herself to sleep because the boy she loved couldn't find it in himself to love her back.

***

By mid-December, Shreveport was the coldest it had been in three decades, despite the lack of snow. The wind blew threateningly, shaking the naked branches of the trees and the Christmas wreaths nailed to the doors.

By mid-December, Eric and Sookie had only spoken once.

Not for lack of trying, Sookie thought bitterly, wrapping her coat tighter around her as she hurried home. And not that she should even care anymore.

"Hey, want a ride?"

Sookie looked up to find Eric's beat-up Camaro cruising beside her. "Um, no thanks, I'm fine."

"Sookie, come on, you hate the cold. Let me give you a ride." Sookie bit her lip, but the freezing gust of wind at that exact moment made the decision for her.

"Alright," She sighed, throwing herself into the passenger seat. Eric sped up slightly, turning off the radio that had been playing until now.

"How've you been?" He asked.

"Fine."

"Alright," Eric glanced at her uncertainly, "Are you not talking to me now?"

"You know what, I changed my mind: pull over."

"What?"

"I'm not gonna do this with you, so just pull over."

"I'll stop talking." Eric responded meekly.

Sookie scowled and stared out the window. "You're a dick."

"I beg your pardon?"

"You heard me."

"Yes, I did. That was very sudden."

"No, it was about six weeks in the making."

"Oh," Eric frowned. They were silent for a long time, neither one of them not knowing quite what to say.

"John asked me out today."

"John Quinn?" Eric's knuckles turned white on the steering wheel.

Sookie nodded, but realized her head was turned away from Eric and he could not see her, "Yeah."

"Well, what did you say?"

"I said 'yes'," Sookie's face was a controlled mask, and she could see Eric's was the same.

Eric pressed the gas pedal a little harder than was entirely necessary, "Well, the fact that you have a date sure explains your sunny disposition."

Sookie tore her eyes away from the road and turned to glare at him, "Hey, you have no right to be sarcastic. You have no say in deciding who I should go out with."

"I know that." He sighed, "Does he make you happy?"

"I haven't given him a chance, yet. But I think he could."

"Well, I'm happy for you," He admitted reluctantly as he pulled into his driveway.

"Thank you." Sookie awkwardly ran her fingers up and down the straps of her backpack, "And thank you for the ride."

He nodded and paused, "Sook, I'm sorry."

She stopped with her hand on the door handle, "About what?"

"About hurting you," He began haltingly, "and the sex, and being a jerk to you." His words triggered something in her mind and she scrambled to get a grasp on the memory.

"You apologized to me at Amelia's party, too," Sookie mused, the memory flooding back. She remembered the way he had looked at her when he had called her his best friend, and how he was sorry about losing her. She also remembered the way he had held her later that night, the way his skin had felt against her, how beautiful he had been to her for that little while. She also remembered how comfortable it had been to be with him, and that jolted her back to the present.

"I don't regret the sex, I want you to know that." She looked him straight in the eye. "And I'm sorry, too. For a lot of things." With that last sentence she opened the door and got out of his car, hurrying across the lawn to her own home, desperate to take refuge inside.

***

Sookie let herself into the house a few weeks later, dropping her backpack by the door as she toed off her sneakers.

"Mom?" She called out, walking to the kitchen to check for the blinking red light on the answering machine: there were no messages. "Dad?" She checked the basement, and then hurried up the stairs to her parents' bedroom. The house was deserted. A quick check of the closet by the door revealed that her mother's purse and jacket were not wherever she was, and her usual black heels were on the shoe rack. Her dad's old sneakers, however, were gone. Frowning and fighting the growing uneasiness in the pit of her stomach, Sookie returned to the kitchen to use the phone, quickly dialling her dad's number. He responded just before her call was directed to his voicemail, sounding breathless and tired.

"Sook!"

"Dad, where are you?" She asked, picking up on the not-quite-right tone, "What's wrong?"

"Your mother had a heart attack," He informed her without any preamble, "I called the ambulance and they're running some tests on her right now."

"What!" She gasped, steadying herself by clutching at the counter, "When?"

Her dad took a moment to respond, and she could almost see him rubbing his eyes tiredly and running his hand through his salt-and-pepper hair, "A couple of hours ago? She didn't want to drag you out of school."

"I'll be right there, okay?" Her eyes skimmed the room as if she could find a way to get across town through her kitchen, "I'm leaving right now."

"Okay. Thanks, Sook."

"Do you need me to bring anything?"

"No, just get yourself over here."

"Okay, I will. Love you, dad."

"Love you, too, Sook." Sookie hung up the phone and quickly found her purse, retrieving her wallet and cell phone from her backpack and throwing them in there before heading out, barely remembering to lock the front door. She ran across the lawn and had pressed the doorbell before she could give herself a chance to chicken out. There was the sound of hurried footsteps and the door was thrown open, Eric stepping forward with a beer in his hand.

"Hey," He raised an eyebrow and took her in, "Something wrong?" Doubt replaced his surprise.

"Um, yeah," Sookie rocked uncertainly on her feet, "Um, my mom had a heart attack and now I need to go to the hospital, and I know that we haven't talked in weeks but is there any way you could just take an hour out of your day and do me the favour of driving me there?" Reality chose to sink in at that moment and her eyes filled with tears. "Please?"

Eric's eyes widened and he disappeared inside. For a second, Sookie thought he was going to shut the door in her face but he emerged a moment later without the bottle, his car keys hanging from a finger. "Come on." She breathed a sigh of relief and trailed him to the dark green Camaro.

"Thank you so much," She muttered once she was had buckled her seat belt and he was pulling out of his driveway, "I know you don't owe me anything, and I wouldn't ask if it wasn't something important."

"Of course," He responded mildly, "Don't mention it. Is she going to be okay?"

Too late, Sookie realized she hadn't thought to ask, "I don't know. I was so shocked that I forgot to ask my dad."

"Is he with her right now?"

"Yeah," She looked out the window and noticed how fast Eric was driving, but she didn't complain.

"Are _you_ okay?" He asked more quietly and she turned to look at him, surprised.

"I... I don't know. This isn't really about me, though, is it."

"Maybe not," Eric allowed, "Doesn't mean that how you feel doesn't matter, though."

Sookie gave him a long look, "No, I'm not okay. I'm terrified and helpless."

Eric looked sorry that he had pushed for a response, but he nodded and awkwardly patted her knee as they pulled up to the architectural monstrosity that was Shreveport General Hospital.


	4. Chapter 4

_**In Another Life... **_** by PersianFreak**

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: M

Spoilers: None

A/N: 8 pages. I swear to god, I am so impressed with myself. Except now I'm never gonna be able to beat this record; ever. Anyways, let me know what you think :)

***************************************

Sookie doesn't quite remember when she decided she liked Will Compton. She just knows that one day she realized that she was the only girl he smiled a genuine smile at, instead of the usual pursing of his lips that he directed at the people he felt obligated to acknowledge. Nobody knew him very well; he had only recently moved to Shreveport and other than his parents and one younger sister, he had no family in Louisiana. He was a straight-A student, which was what made Sookie notice him initially; he was the only other person in her American History class who regularly received A's, and the only other person who was on the "Available for Tutoring" lists pinned in her Biology, Chemistry and Calculus classrooms. She had assumed that he was shy, but after the first conversation she had with him, she decided that mostly he just didn't feel the need to contribute to every conversation. If, however, the topic in question managed to pique his interest, he wasn't afraid of putting in his two cents. His complete and utter calm was such a refreshing attribute (especially in a teenager) that Sookie found herself being drawn to him, wanting to hear his cool voice wash over her and gaze into the never-ending pools that were his dark eyes. When he asked her to the Winter Formal of their junior year, it came as a surprise to nobody. He was the first boy that Sookie ever loved, and yet she understood when it ended that it was only to make way for better things to come.

***

"Do you want me to call John for you?" Eric asked in the elevator up to room 1034 of Shreveport General Hospital. Sookie shook her head "no" and kept staring at the little screen above the door lazily counting the floors.

"You don't want your boyfriend here?" he sounded confused.

"He's in Las Vegas for his sister's wedding." She responded, sighing in relief when the doors slid open.

"You've been dating for what, 4 months?" Sookie turned and shot him a look that made Eric's ears turn red. "Last time we talked was in December, and he had just asked you out, so..." Eric explained inadequately, shrugging to show how much he was not keeping track of her relationship.

"Dad!" Sookie called as they rounded a corner in the long hallway, their conversation entirely forgotten. She hurried towards the man standing by a window, his thoughts clearly miles away.

"Sookie," Mr. Stackhouse smiled, looking relieved. "Eric." He raised his eyebrows at the younger man.

"Hello, sir." Eric smiled politely.

"He drove me here," Sookie explained in response to her father's questioning look, and he nodded.

"Oh, thank you."

"It was no problem," Eric glanced at Sookie who gave him a brief smile.

"Where is she?" She asked, turning back to her father.

"They're just running some tests. It was apparently minor, so it took a while for them to get her into the room for the EKG and chest x-ray."

"But she's okay now?" Sookie pressed.

"Yeah, better than when she first got here. I was actually waiting for you to get here so that I could go looking for her." Eric could practically see some of the tension leave Sookie's body as she nodded her head.

"Go ahead, I'll just wait here." She gestured at the door of her mother's hospital room and her father nodded, turning to hurry down the hallway. Left alone, Eric and Sookie stared at each other for a second.

"You don't have to stay," Sookie smiled gently as he made to follow her into the empty hospital room.

"It's okay," Eric shrugged, walking in and sitting beside her on the long bench set into the wall by the floor-length window.

"Are you sure?" She asked uncertainly, "I mean, as the quarterback, aren't there certain social functions you need to attend on school nights?" Here, her lips started to turn up in a smirk, "Bar-hopping with fake IDs, egging the nerds' houses, going drunk driving?"

Eric rolled his eyes, "I think I'm good." He leaned against the glass and closed his eyes.

"How's your girlfriend?" Her smile faded and he opened one eye to look at her.

"She's fine."

"When did you guys get back together?" Sookie prodded in an attempt at getting her mind off of her ailing mother.

"Winter break," he responded curtly, his eyes watching her smallest movements. Of course, that is exactly when tears started streaming down her face.

"Are you crying?" He looked shocked, and Sookie shook her head and tried to hide behind the curtain of her hair. "Sook, what...?" Sookie stubbornly wiped away the tears, but more were already gathering at the corners of her eyes.

"Nothing," she insisted, standing up to get away from him, but he only followed her.

"Is it your mom?" He put his arms around her waist and drew her close, using a hand to tilt her face up when she refused to look at him. She nodded and he relented, letting her hide her face in his shirt. She wasn't lying; her mom's sudden illness on top of what she knew to be her stupid teenage problems was just proving to be too much. "It'll be okay," Eric cooed, kissing the side of her head, "Trust me on this one."

"How do you know?" She asked miserably before she remembered, "Oh, sorry." She mumbled and then sniffled.

"It's okay." Eric smiled his genuine smile at her; the one that had become so rare in the past years.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when your mom..."

"Died?" He supplied helpfully and she nodded. "It's okay; I didn't expect you to be. We were nine years old, for crying out loud."

"I know, but still." She shrugged inadequately, "Shit. I'm sorry I dragged you back into this hospital."

"I don't mind," he assured her with another smile. "I like being here with you."

Sookie let out a laugh, "Even though I'm sobbing into your shirt?"

"Even though you're sobbing into my shirt," Eric smirked, but his eyes remained kind. He gave her another squeeze before releasing her. Sookie quickly began wiping away the last remnants of her tears. "Better?"

"Yeah," She nodded, "Thank you."

"Anytime." He sat back down on the bench and watched her pull herself together.

***

Sookie's mother returned not long after that, her smile and bright eyes assuring them that she was okay. After all, she pointed out, she was young and healthy, and it was only what the doctors called her "genetic predisposition" and high stress levels that had caused what she herself considered "a minor cardiac episode". Having thanked Eric for driving her daughter to the hospital, she insisted that they return home and go about their lives as if she was totally fine (because, as she continuously reminded them, she was). Sookie's dad refused to listen to her, insisting that he would be quite comfortable on the visitor's cot. And so, nearly 4 hours after they arrived, Sookie and Eric finally gave in and agreed to go home, Sookie promising that she would be back tomorrow and wishing them good night.

"You okay?" Eric asked as he drove them home through the darkened streets.

"Yeah," She responded as she stared out the window, her breath fogging up the window thanks to the unusually cool March night. "I was pretty freaked earlier, but now I'm better. Sorry about your shirt, by the way." She shot a sheepish glance his way.

"Don't worry about it," He smiled, quickly glancing at her before returning his gaze to the road. Sookie watched him quietly; the way his hair fell into his eyes, the way he unconsciously pouted and chewed on his lips as he watched the other cars at the intersection, the faint glow of the red light cast on his tanned skin.

"What?" The corner of his mouth turned upwards in a smirk.

Sookie snapped her head back towards the front, "Nothing." They didn't speak for the rest of the ride, both content without words. At last, Eric pulled into his driveway and there was an awkward silence before they both got out of the Camaro.

"Um, thank you for driving me to the hospital, Eric." Sookie walked towards his side of the car on the way to her house, "And for staying with me. You have no idea how much it meant."

"It was no problem," Eric eyed the illuminated window of his dad's bedroom before looking back down at Sookie and smiling faintly. "See you tomorrow?" he asked, making sure the car door was locked and looking at her expectantly.

"Yeah," Sookie nodded, and Eric made to walk past her. "Actually, Eric?"

Eric stopped and turned to her, and Sookie continued awkwardly. "Do you think, maybe you could... I mean, do you think it'd be okay if you slept over at my house?" She finished breathlessly and bit her lip, already regretting it.

He looked at her curiously, "How come?"

She shrugged, chuckling self-consciously, "It's just... I kinda don't want to be home alone tonight, and if it's okay with your dad, I was just thinking..." She shrugged again.

He studied her for a while before nodding, "Yeah. Just let me grab some stuff from my house and I'll be right over?"

"Thank you." Sookie smiled and he mirrored her, turning to hurry into his house.

***

16-year-old Sookie Stackhouse spent months being along. Being a freshman in high school was hard enough; having Eric join the Dark Side was just the cherry on top. Not that she didn't have friends: she had friends, but none that she had known as long as she had known Eric. By December, however, Sookie and Amelia were inseparable, though neither was sure if it was because they had hit it off or because they were too afraid of being lonely. Either way, Sookie tried to forget about Eric and the hole in her heart that should never have been there, even though it wasn't easy. Eric seemed to be everywhere: ahead of her in the cafeteria lunch line, throwing a football around with that asshole Nate Fick or Chow (or some other equally inter-changeable, equally douchey entity) on her way home, in her classes. But Eric's sudden absence as a friend also made room for the on-and-off friendship Sookie and Tara had maintained since elementary school to further develop, which also meant that Arlene gravitated towards her childhood friends. By January, Sookie had accepted an Eric-free future and moved on, casually observing Eric climb the social ladder as he became the football team's rising star and dated cheerleader after cheerleader, sleeping with a lot more girls than he dated, and become the most feared and admired boy in school, all the while slowly diminishing the respect Sookie had for him. Seeing him bully Hoyt Fortenberry (before the latter had a growth spurt and hit 6 feet and 4 inches) destroyed any lingering remnants of the beloved Eric in Sookie's mind.

And yet, the small glances that Eric occasionally shot her way when he _knew_ he was doing something wrong continued to make Sookie believe that maybe the real Eric was still in there. Somewhere.

It just took three years for him to emerge.

***

"There you are," Eric commented as he trudged down the basement stairs.

Sookie looked up from the TV, remote in hand. "Yeah, sorry, I was looking for something to watch, but there's nothing on." Eric dumped an overnight bag by the wall. "Do you want to put in a movie? I was gonna heat up some lasagne." She gestured at the wall of DVDs and he glanced over, his jaw dropping.

"This wasn't there before!" He hurried over to the shelf, having not been downstairs since junior high. Sookie laughed and watched him try to take in the hundreds of DVDs her family had accumulated over the past two years. "You changed everything!" He called over his shoulder, clearly referring to the home theatre system, the wet bar and the pool table.

"Yes, we did," Sookie sat back down on the couch and watched him, smiling fondly.

"Let's watch Aladdin!"

"You want to watch Aladdin?"

"I've always like Aladdin!" He defended quickly, "Just don't tell the guys."

"I don't think there's any chance of that," Sookie muttered darkly.

Eric popped the DVD in and sank down beside her, "Don't be bitter."

"I can't help it," Sookie tried to smile, "Tonight is not a night for optimism."

His face sobered and he leaned in to look into her eyes, "Hey, it'll be okay." She nodded and tried to hold back the tears, but her eyes filled with them anyways. "Oh no, don't cry! Please don't cry!" Sookie had to smile at the hint of desperation in his voice, but tears began escaping anyways. Eric pulled her into him and pressed his lips against her temple, his hand rubbing her back as she tried and failed to avoid letting more tears fall. The next moment, he kissed her cheekbone, and then her jaw, and before she knew it, his lips were pressed against hers and she was responding. The kiss deepened and Eric pulled her into his lap, his hands tight on her hips.

"Hey," Eric mumbled between kisses, "If I asked you to, would you dump your boyfriend for me?"

Sookie pulled away and stared at him, "Why, so you won't have to be jealous of me sleeping with another guy?"

Eric's fingers dug more harshly into her hips in response, "No, so I can ask you out."

"What about Pam?" Sookie asked, eyebrow cocked.

He shrugged, "You dump him, I'll dump her."

"What happened to 'I can't give you what you want, Sookie'??" She prodded suspiciously.

"I'm tired of running from you," He admitted awkwardly and then turned angry, "And I'm fucking sick of seeing him with his hands all over you."

"It's none of your business, what I do with my boyfriend," She reminded him gently, "I don't say anything when there's hordes of women throwing themselves at you, because it's not my place to care."

"Break up with him," He pressed.

Sookie stared at him, "If I break up with him, and you don't break up with Pam, Eric, I'm not going to-"

"Say 'yes' and I will break up with her." The intense look in his eyes made her still.

"Okay."

"Okay?" His face broke into the widest grin.

"Okay," Sookie nodded, her smile much less certain before he claimed her mouth again. They continued kissing until she pulled away.

"Eric, no." She put a gentle hand on his mouth, tracing his lips – far too beautiful to be on someone so masculine – with her fingers.

"What," He mumbled against her finger, then smiled at the effect.

Sookie smiled, too, but found she couldn't quite take her hands off of him. "Not until we break up with them, okay?"

"Tomorrow?" He took her hand from his face and clutched it in his own. Sookie nodded after a moment. "You want me."

"Oh, yeah?" she asked and he nodded again, "And how do you know that?"

"Because you can't take your eyes off of me," Eric told her solemnly, "And because you're still sitting in my lap, and because you wanted me five months ago."

"So just because I wanted you five months ago means that I want you now?" Sookie grinned, amused.

"_I_ wanted you five months ago and I want you now." The casual tone of his words coupled with the faint hardness pressing against her core sent a bolt of electricity down her spine and she had to fight back the urge to jump his bones right then and there.

"One step at a time, alright?" Sookie congratulated herself on her steadiness. He took his time before nodding and suggesting that they warm up some food to eat as they watched the DVD that had been stuck on the main menu for a full 15 minutes now. They hurried to the kitchen, Eric making sure to brush against Sookie while grabbing a plate, filling a glass with water and turning on the microwave, just to name a few examples. They returned to the basement and started the movie, sitting as close to each other as possibly on the couch. By the time Aladdin and princess Jasmine kissed, Sookie was lying in Eric's arms on the couch, Eric occasionally bending down to kiss her neck and nip at her ear. The first time he did, Sookie made a pleased noise and pressed herself more firmly against him, allowing him to tighten his arms around her. It was surprisingly comfortable, lying beside Eric on the couch. Even the thoughts of John were getting more and more vague the drowsier she got. When the movie ended, Eric rolled until he was on top of Sookie, flashing her a grin when she groaned. He grabbed the remote and turned everything off before rolling back into his original spot.

"Hey, Eric?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think my mom will be okay?"

He kissed her neck, letting his lips wander to her shoulder, "Yes, I do."

"Okay." She closed her eyes.

"G'night, Sookie-kins," He murmured and she laughed at his nickname for when he wanted to annoy her as children.

"Good night, Erica." He groaned and buried his face into her hair, and they both fell asleep with smiles on their faces.

***

Sookie's ringtone was something by the Backstreet Boys. Eric discovered this when her cellphone rang at seven the next morning.

"You must be joking," Sookie groaned and grabbed the phone. "He-" She cleared her throat and tried again, "Hello?"

"Hey, Sook, my mom is giving me the car for the day, do you want a ride?" Arlene rambled without waiting for Sookie to respond.

"Um, thanks, Arlene, but I'm good." Sookie sat up and smiled when Eric hooked an arm around her waist and didn't let her get up.

"What? You always want a ride to school!"

"Well, not today!" She leaned back against Eric and he chuckled.

There was a pause, "You weren't even up, were you? You always get up at fucking six to go run or some shit, don't you?'

"Not. Today."

"Jeez, fine! See you at school." Sookie put the phone back on the coffee table and lay down next to Eric, tucking her face against his neck.

"We need to get ready for school," she mumbled, "And I need to go to the hospital after school."

"I'll drive you."

"You don't have to."

"I'll drive you." Sookie lifted her head and Eric squeezed his eyes shut before opening them again and smiling sleepily at her. She rewarded him by giving him a kiss on the cheek before leaving him to get ready for school. When he finally found the energy to stumble upstairs, Sookie was already showered and dressed, and making breakfast.

"Hey," she grinned at him, "I don't know if you brought clothes, but you can use my shower and there's cereal for breakfast." He nodded sleepily and returned to the basement to grab his bag before going upstairs to take a shower.

"So, are we gonna do it today?" he asked from behind his mug of coffee a while later.

Sookie's mind went blank, "Beg your pardon?"

"Are we going to break up with them?" Eric smirked like he knew what she was thinking.

"Oh," she sat down beside him at the kitchen island. "Yes, I think so."

"You think so?" he half-frowned, "Sookie, you don't have to break up with your boyfriend if you don't want to."

"Do you not want me to?"

Eric sighed, "I _asked_ you to, didn't I? But I don't want you to be unhappy if John is the one you want to be with." Sookie thought for a minute, biting her lip as she made a decision.

"Alright," she smacked her hand down on the counter and turned her body to face him, ignoring his surprised expression, "I know you. No girl has been able to hold your attention for longer than a day since you hit puberty. You have never been faithful to any of your girlfriends, and you're good-looking enough that most girls can be happy with just a single night with you." Eric opened his mouth but she held up her hand and carried on. "If I do this, if I dump this guy who actually cares about me for you and I turn out to be just another girl who fell for you like a complete idiot, then I won't ever forgive you, Eric. I won't _ever_ look at you and think of you as the guy who made me so fucking happy for all these years, and I won't ever give you another chance. Not to tutor you, or invite you over for dinner, or fucking pick up your keys if you drop them. If you let me down this time, then I won't ever make the mistake of letting you mean something to me again."

Eric didn't respond for the longest time, carefully putting down his mug before looking up at Sookie again. "You fell for me?"

Sookie rolled her eyes and hopped off the chair, "Forget it."

"Nononono," Eric grabbed her arm and made her face him, his body suddenly tense, "I'm sorry, okay? I... I won't l- let you down." His ears turned red.

Sookie's face softened, "You promise?"

"You're the one person that I can't do without, okay?" his eyes were trained on her shoulder and there was a hint of something defensive in his tone. Sookie's heart ached and she put her arms around him and pulled him close.

"You did without me for two years."

He scoffed, "Yeah, and we both know how well that turned out."

Sookie stood on her tiptoes and kissed him. "School?" He sighed and held her hand, pulling her out of the house.

***

"Hey, babe," John grinned, leaning against the wall of lockers beside Sookie's. He was tall and built, his eyes a strange shade that sometimes appeared purple, but were mostly dark blue.

"Hi," Sookie forced herself to smile, but pretended not to notice when he leaned in to kiss her. "How was Vegas?"

"Oh," he straightened his tall frame, "It was okay. I couldn't do anything fun 'cause I'm underage, but there was an open bar at the wedding, so it was alright."

"That's good, then," she nodded and closed her locker. "Look, John, we need to talk."

"Uh oh," his handsome face sobered, "That doesn't sound good."

Sookie had nothing to say, so she pursed her lips, "I'll see you at lunch? In the courtyard?"

"Sure," he nodded and watched her walk away, his brows furrowing as she disappeared amidst the Monday-morning crowd.

***

Eric was sprawled gracefully in his seat by the time Sookie reached French later that morning, which was a first. He didn't smile, having returned to his quarterback persona since the car ride that morning, but his eyes followed her to her seat and he nodded when she smiled at him. Sookie wanted to sit beside him, but Tara chose that moment to barge in, hot on the heels of Madam Lowes.

"I fucking hate Mondays," Tara huffed and threw herself into her second-row seat.

"Language!" Madam Lowes sang from her desk, busying herself with some papers.

"What's wrong with you?" asked Sookie as the rest of the class began trickling in.

Tara shot a sour look at Eric, "Nothing. It's Monday. What's wrong with _you_? Heard you snapped at Arlene today."

"My mom had a heart attack," Sookie mumbled.

"What! Is she okay?"

"Yeah, it was minor, apparently, but I was sorta terrified."

"Alright, class, settle down!" Madam Lowes announced.

"We'll talk _later_!" Tara hissed and the class began.

***

Eric briefly grasped Sookie's hand in his as he walked past her and out of the classroom, but Tara caught up with her before Sookie could respond in any way (or slam him against the wall and kiss him until he was breathless).

"Is she okay?" Tara asked, not having noticed Eric, who had already disappeared into the crowd.

"Yeah, she's okay." Sookie watched the blonde head bob away, "It happened while I was at school, so by the time I got there, they had run some tests and knew what had happened."

Her friend frowned, "How did you get across town? You should have called me and I could have driven you! I don't know why you don't have your license yet, I mean, for crying out loud, you crazy-"

"Eric drove me," Sookie interrupted casually and watched Tara's eyes widen before the disapproving expression took over.

"He was at your house?"

"No, I went and asked him." She bit her lip, "And... stuff happened."

"_Stuff happened??_" Tara half-shrieked and Sookie looked around the hallway leading to the courtyard in horror.

"Keep your voice down!"

"'Stuff happened' like stuff happened at Amelia's??" Tara hissed and Sookie's face darkened.

"No!" She paused, "Sorta. We just made out and I told him I'd dump John for him." Sookie shut her eyes and waited. When she heard nothing for several seconds, she opened her eyes and found Tara gaping at her.

"You did _what_?"

"_Calm down!"_

"'Calm down'? You're telling me to calm down? You're going to dump your boyfriend for that asshole?"

"He's not an asshole!" Sookie snapped irritably.

"He humiliated you, he ignored you, he took advantage of you, then he fucked you and went back to ignoring you." Tara counted off, dumping her lunch on the table.

"He didn't ignore me; we talked." Sookie defended, "And then I moved on. Or I thought I did. Now, if you will excuse me, I was supposed to meet John for lunch."

"I'm telling Mel and Arlene!" Tara called after her.

"Oh, go ahead!" Sookie stormed off, deciding to wait outside the courtyards doors for John.

***

"You broke up with him?" Amelia asked Sookie in European History later.

"Yeah," Sookie nodded, eyeing her friend carefully.

"Well, good for you."

"What?" Her head snapped to her friend's face. "You don't think I'm an idiot?"

Amelia shrugged, "I think John cares about you, but there's no point to being with him when you're never gonna be happy with him."

"Oh." Sookie bit her lip absently as they took their seats. "I think he loves me back." Amelia shot her a look to encourage her to go on. "He's breaking up with Pam. He's supposed to do it today, if he hasn't already."

"You don't sound too sure about that," her friend commented.

Sookie shrugged, "I hope he will. I told him I would never forgive him if he didn't, especially now that I've broken up with John."

"Then I'm sure he will. You're the only one he's ever nice to, as far as I can tell." Amelia smiled, "What did John say when you told him you wanted to break up with him?"

"He asked me if there was anyone else," Sookie chuckled awkwardly, "And I said 'sorta', and he'd kinda heard about the Eric thing."

"Oh, so he knew?"

Sookie nodded, "Yeah. I kinda feel terrible about that bit of it."

"But you had to make a choice, right? Lying to him about how you feel about him or being honest." Their conversation was cut short at that point due to the class starting, but Sookie spent the rest of class wondering if she had made the right choice.

***

Sookie could pick out the blonde head from across the parking lot. A few car rows away, she could see Eric leaning against his car, his back to her. Without saying a word, she walked up to him and leaned against the car hood beside him.

"Hi, beautiful." He murmured absently and Sookie turned her head, surprised at the pet name.

"Did you do it?" she asked quietly.

"No," he tapped his fingers against his chin and Sookie's heart dropped to somewhere around her knees. "No," he repeated, "She broke up with me."

"What? How come?" Sookie frowned but Eric didn't seem upset, just amused.

"She told me that her friend, Lena? Leila?"

"Lauren."

"Seriously? The brunette?"

"Lauren," Sookie confirmed with a faint smile.

"Oh, well then. Lauren saw you in my car." He shrugged and shot her a brief smile, "So Pam told me she knew I'm in l- She knows I don't want her." Sookie hid her disappointment at how close he had come to telling her he loved her, but she nodded.

"I broke up with him," she offered when he didn't say anymore, and Eric smiled a wide grin.

"Really?"

"Really really." Eric bent down quickly and kissed her, gently pressing her against his car. He smiled against her lips when he felt her relax into his kiss, locking her hands behind his neck.

"You called me 'beautiful'." She pulled back to smile at him.

"I'd been trying to not let it slip," he admitted evenly.

"I liked it." Sookie confessed sheepishly, glancing up to find his lips turning up in another smile just before he bent down to kiss her again.


	5. Chapter 5

_**In Another Life... **_** by PersianFreak**

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: M

Spoilers: None

A/N: Hah. I beat last chapter's record of 8 pages, you guys! TEN PAGES. Hah. That's right. You're gonna be here a while.

I will cut back on the cockiness now.

Anyways, let me know what you think :)

* * *

The next few months were a whirlwind of hospital visits, tutorials, SAT preps, university applications and Eric sneaking into Sookie's room in the middle of the night just to make out.

Sookie found it incredibly calming, having Eric grab her randomly in the middle of the hallway to kiss her, or being able to just watch him without needing a reason to. It was a surprisingly comfortable relationship, if one did not count the occasional bumps in the road, like the considerable amount of time Tara spent glaring at them when they were together. Tara, however, proved to be the only one who needed some time to get used to the idea of Sookie dating Eric. Arlene did not care, as long as she got to swoon over him and his "fine assets", and Amelia, predictably, was the most understanding of them all. Mr and Mrs Stackhouse all but rolled their eyes when they heard the news, as if having always expected the relationship to develop sooner or later. All in all, Sookie was the happiest she had been in a long time.

***

Sookie threw herself into Eric's passenger seat, scowling at the dust that had somehow found its way to the fabric of her jeans as she brushed it off.

"Uh, rough day?" Eric asked, tapping his fingers soundlessly on the steering wheel.

"It's nothing." She turned her head, blocking Eric out as he started the car and began heading home.

"So, how was class?" He asked, feigning a casual tone.

"It was fine."

Eric sighed, stopping at a red light. "Did I do something?"

"No."

"Then why am I getting the backlash?"

It was Sookie's turn to sigh, "You're right, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," he reached over and patted her knee. "Now tell me what poor soul made the mistake of triggering your wrath."

Sookie trapped Eric's hand in her own, "It's nothing, really." They were both silent for a long time, Sookie absently playing with Eric's hand in her own until eventually the car pulled into Eric's driveway and she got out, trying not to slam the door as she slung her bag over her shoulder. Eric followed her into her house without a word, closing the door behind them.

"Hi, mom," Sookie greeted, leading the way into the kitchen, making sure to dump her stuff on the couch in the living room before doing so.

"Hi, honey," Mrs Stackhouse looked up from where she was cutting up vegetables at the kitchen island.

"Hey there, Mrs Stackhouse."

"Hey there, Eric." She smiled, "Did you guys get into a fight or something?"

Sookie looked up quizzically from the bubbling pot she was studying at the stove, "No, why?"

"No reason." She returned to the cutting board, smiling knowingly.

Eric raised an eyebrow, smirking pointedly at his girlfriend, and she rolled her eyes.

"You guys hungry?"

"Yes, but we need to go discuss some things." Eric's smile turned innocent as he grabbed Sookie's hand and led her out of the kitchen, "Y'know, gotta work hard to maintain a relationship."

"Dinner's in 20 minutes!" Sookie's mother called after them, "I will personally come upstairs and call you."

"Okay, mom!" Sookie called just before Eric closed the bedroom door behind them and threw himself onto the bed, curling one arm under his head and patting the space next to him with the other hand. She sighed, crawling next to him and throwing a leg over his hips.

He kissed her hair, "Did Pam say something to you?" Sookie lifted her head in surprise and Eric laughed, "Come on. I dated her for long enough to know how crazy she is."

"If she's crazy, then why did you date her?" Sookie asked, "Actually, nevermind. I'm sure I don't want to know."

Eric grinned, "So what did she do? Replace all your makeup with store-brand?"

Sookie scoffed, "The bitch wouldn't dare." He laughed out loud and rolled until he was on his side.

"What did she do?" He asked again.

She propped her head up on one hand, "If I tell you, then you'll get all protective and defensive and I don't want that."

"Sookie," Eric's tone was mildly threatening.

"She told me that she was the right girl for you and that it was only a matter of time before you realized it." The words fell out of her mouth in a hurry and she threw in an eye-roll and a shrug for good measure.

Eric frowned, "And what did you tell her?"

"That if she was right, then she had nothing to worry about. Y'know, since I'm clearly just something to help you understand how great you two are for each other."

"You didn't actually believe her, did you?"

"You dumped her for me, didn't you?"

"So why are you so upset?"

Sookie groaned, "Because the bitch had the balls to corner me in the freaking locker room! And who does she think she is? Why even bitch _me_ out when your dysfunctional relationship had nothing to do with me?"

"Except for the bit where we made ou-"

"Not the point, Eric!"

"Right." He bit his lip and tried to suppress a smile.

She seethed, "It was ridiculous. I mean, what sort of deranged mind hates the new girlfriend more than the old boyfriend? She didn't even..." Her voice drifted off.

"What?" Eric asked uncertainly.

"She came to you first, didn't she?" Sookie asked, sitting up. "I was second! She talked to you before me!"

Eric nodded reluctantly, "Yeah."

"What did she say?"

"She didn't... _say_ much."

Sookie gasped, "She did _what_?"

"Sookie, nothing happened!"

"I don't care, did she hit on you?!" Eric nodded, and Sookie scoffed, scandalized, "That little _whore_!"

"Whoa now!" Eric defended.

"Watch yourself, mister!"

"Right, that whore." He amended quickly.

"I can't believe her," she seethed.

Eric sat up, the smallest smile on his lips, "Yes, you can."

"Alright, fine, so I totally expected something like this from her, but still." He laughed and leaned forward to kiss her, deepening the kiss until Sookie's legs were wrapped around his waist and his shirt was half off.

"Eric," she warned when his fingers began dabbling at the skin under the waistband of her jeans.

"Sookie," Eric pouted into her neck.

"Hey, no complaining." Sookie smiled softly and stroked his hair.

Eric kissed her neck, "Come on, please?"

"We are not having sex."

"Why not!" He whined, "We did it already! And we're actually dating this time!" Sookie glared at him. "Fine, fine; I won't be the boyfriend who _pressures._" He rolled his eyes as he sat up on the bed and gestured to impress how absurd he found the whole situation.

"Oh, come on. Don't be a jerk." Sookie removed her legs from around his waist and sat up next to him, kissing his shoulder and stroking his arm.

"I wanna have sex with my girlfriend," he complained and Sookie giggled, letting him lean into her.

"I just want it to mean something this time, alright?" she murmured into his ear.

Eric lifted his head, frowning, "It meant something!"

"It was drunken sex, Eric." She rolled her eyes.

"Hey," he put a single finger under her chin to keep her gaze on him, "It meant something." He leaned forward to softly kiss her nose, "It meant everything."

"Awww," she smiled and leaned forward to kiss him.

"Still pissed at Pam?" He asked a while later as they made their way downstairs, Mrs Stackhouse having burst into the room to call them down to dinner.

"Yeah, but not as much."

"Good. You scare me when you're that pissed," he added in response to her questioning gaze.

***

"That test was ridiculous," Amelia sighed as she followed Sookie out of the classroom.

"I didn't realize they were gonna go into that much detail," Sookie sighed, "I do not care that much about the French."

"Well, fuck you, too." Arlene remarked, joining them.

"You're stepfather being half-French does not make you even remotely French." Sookie snapped and Amelia laughed, avoiding Arlene's swinging textbook as the other began heading towards her own locker.

"So, where's lover boy today?" Amelia asked once her laughter had died out.

"I don't know," Sookie shrugged, "He told me he couldn't drive me to school yesterday 'cause he had some errands to run, but I know he didn't even show up to school. No dice today, either."

"What's wrong with him?" Amelia asked, rummaging around in her locker for a notebook.

"I don't know," Sookie leaned heavily against the wall, "I mean, he's- _shit!_" She smacked her hand against her forehead.

"What?"

"Fuck, it's the anniversary of his mom's death. Shit shit shit."

"Oh, I didn't know his mom was dead."

"Died when he was nine. I can't believe I forgot."

Amelia closed her locker and the two began heading towards the parking lot. "I can drive you home." Amelia offered, playing with her car keys.

"Are you sure?" Sookie bit her lip, "It's out of your way."

Her friend shrugged, "It's not that far. Besides, you're losing your mind worrying about lover boy so driving you home would help." And that's how Sookie was ringing Eric's doorbell fifteen minutes later. There was no response for the longest time, and Sookie bit her lip and knocked, rocking uncertainly on her feet. Eventually, there was the sound of heavy footsteps and the door opened, a bedraggled Eric peeking out from behind it.

"Oh," he frowned and opened the door further. "Hi."

"Hi," Sookie smiled, a part of her relieved to see that he hadn't driven off of a cliff or anything.

"Um," he squinted into the sunlight, "Come on in." Sookie followed him inside, blinking into the sudden darkness as he closed the door. She had rarely been here, even as a kid. Eric had always come over to her house, and after the death of his mother, Sookie had understood why. Mr Northman's condition had deteriorated rapidly; scotch after dinner become scotch until he fell asleep, then scotch before work. Soon, he drank whatever was cheapest: beer, ridiculous amounts of coolers. He lost his job not long after, and for a while, they lived off of the inheritance of some long-gone, rich grandmother before Eric had started working at the super-market in an attempt to save whatever was left of the inheritance, or perhaps just to slow down its loss.

"Where's your dad?" Sookie could count the number of times she had seen Mr Northman since the death of his wife on one hand.

"Downstairs getting drunk or sleeping off the drinks," Eric shrugged, "Who knows, really. There isn't much of a difference."

"Are you okay?" Sookie asked, watching him plunk down on the couch amidst a sea of magazines, old newspapers and Chinese take-out boxes.

"Why wouldn't I be okay?" He leaned back and put his feet up on the coffee table, nudging away an empty beer bottle with his toes.

"Because you missed two days of school?"

"That just proves that I think school is irrelevant to my future." Eric shot her a fleeting grin that faded when he realized she was not buying it.

"And because I know you better than anyone."

"That's pretty cocky, don't you think?"

"And because I just remembered twenty minutes ago that it's your mom's anniversary." Eric seemed to deflate ever so slightly.

"Of course you did," he muttered and eyed her.

"Are you okay?" Sookie nestled herself on the couch cushions next to him.

"Hold me," he threw himself into her arms and she giggled as he settled on top of her. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Liar." Eric shrugged, an awkward move considering he was lying on top of Sookie. "I love you, you know." He lifted his head, his face perfectly expressionless. "I don't expect you to say it back. I didn't say it so you would say it back."

"Then why did you say it?" His voice matched his expression and Sookie curled her toes in her shoes, almost regretting what she had gotten herself into.

"Because I wanted you to know that just because you don't have the best dad in the world, it doesn't mean that you're alone or anything stupid like that."

Eric hid his face against Sookie's neck again, "Thank you for pointing out that my family is shitty."

"That's not what I mea-"

"I know. I was kidding." He rolled his eyes.

"Oh."

"So, if I don't say it back, you won't..."

"Dump you? No."

"Oh. Wanna have sex?" He suggested casually and she laughed.

"Not on your couch," she smiled, "and not when there's another person in the house." She added quickly when she saw him open his mouth to suggest moving to his bedroom.

"Fine," he sighed.

"How 'bout this weekend?" She suggested just as casually, "You know, when my parents are out of town?"

Eric's eyes widened, "Are you serious?"

Sookie bit her lip to hold back the laughter, "Yeah."

"You're beautiful! And the best girlfriend ever!" Eric exclaimed, the look on his face reminding her of a child on Christmas morning, albeit a horny one.

"Oh, I know." She smiled and kissed him again.

"And who is this?"

"Oh." The two jumped up from the couch, hurriedly untangling. "Mr. Northman, hi!" Eric's dad was dressed in an old t-shirt and sweatpants , and appeared to have not shaved or showered in weeks. He squinted and wavered on his feet unsteadily, still looking at Sookie with absolutely no recognition in his eyes.

"It's me, Mr. Northman. Sookie?" She stood up and smiled uncertainly, "I was your son's best friend for eleven years?"

"Oh, right." He looked past Sookie at his son, "You two together or something?"

"Yeah, dad," Eric sighed quietly, "I told you? We've been dating for a while now."

"Oh, right," he repeated, "Do we have any more vodka?"

Eric moved past Sookie and to the pantry, retrieving another 40 of vodka and handing it to his dad. The latter nodded in thanks and raised the bottle before disappearing once more. Sookie walked over to where Eric was now leaning against the sink.

"I can't not give it to him," he sighed, putting his arms around her.

"I know," she kissed his chest, "I'm sorry." Eric shrugged but didn't say anything. "Do you want to come over for dinner?"

"No, it's okay."

"That was a rhetorical question. You are coming over."

"Sookie, c'mon, do-"

"You are coming over." She repeated and grabbed a hold of his hand, leading him out of the kitchen and out the door.

***

Sookie stared at herself in the mirror and for the thousandth time wondered why she was so nervous. She tucked her hair behind her ear, and then untucked it. She leaned forward to triple-check her makeup: the tiniest hint of eyeliner and eye shadow that she was wearing. She contemplated taking off her clothes and wearing her robe, decided to take off her clothes and wear her silk robe, and then changed her mind entirely and redressed herself before abandoning both her clothes and her robe, leaving herself in her black lacy underwear. She looked good, she knew that. She was fully aware that despite not being a cheerleader and one of the "populars", there were lots of guys that considered her hot, and even more so fully aware that Eric was one of those guys. And yet, despite having already slept with him, she found herself cynically surveying herself: the full curves of her breasts and hips, the faint outline of her abdominal muscles, the lines of her face. She ran her hands up and down her legs to make sure she had not missed any spots shaving, and found everything to be disappointingly perfect. When she emerged from the bathroom ten minutes later clad in her silk robe, she found Eric sitting on her bed, surrounded with scented candles.

"How did...?"

"If you tell anyone I did this, I will deny it and then cheerfully dump you." Eric responded with a small smile, making Sookie laugh."And also, your window was open."

"Oh, I should fix that," she grinned at him. He was wearing only a pair of sweatpants, and the candlelight glimmered off of his tanned skin. While Sookie tried to stamp down the suddenly overwhelming urge to rip his pants off of him, Eric walked over and began kissing her, his hands untying her robe and dropping it on the floor.

"You look incredible," he moaned, and bent down to kiss her neck, nipping lightly at the soft skin of her shoulders. She pressed herself to him, loving the feel of his body against hers. She made a small noise when his mouth moved to her breasts, teasing her nipples through the material as he unhooked her bra and let it join her robe on the ground. She cupped his face and pulled it back up to hers, her hands slipping under the elastic waistband of his pants once she had secured his mouth against hers.

"Off, off, off," he muttered, making her giggle as he slid his pants off, retrieving a condom from his pocket before kicking it aside.

"I'm not naked yet," she whispered pointedly.

"Hold this," He pressed the square into her hand and dropped to his knees obligingly, slipping her panties off. Having accomplished that, he began kissing her inner thighs, and she widened her stance uncertainly, allowing him to move to her core. She bit her lip self-consciously but gasped when he sucked on her clit, smacking a hand on the wall in an attempt at not falling backwards while her other hand tangled in Eric's hair, the condom falling to the ground forgotten.

"Fuck, Eric," she threw her head back and cried out softly when she felt his fingers enter her. She looked around desperately, taking in gasping breaths of air as Eric continued to fuck her with his tongue and fingers. He was teasing her, she could tell, because he kept nudging her close to the edge and then backing off, over and over again until she groaned in frustration and pushed him down on the floor. Quickly locating and ripping open the foil packet, she slid the condom onto him and straddled his hips, sliding him inside of her and purposefully riding him until _he_ was the one gasping _her_ name.

"Sookie," he groaned, curling up to claim her mouth, his fingers digging into her hips as they continued rocking against his. Sookie moaned into his mouth and he kissed his way down her neck, biting at her soft skin the way he had the first time, _her_ first time. She gasped when his mouth found her nipples and he began sucking roughly on them. Eric's grip on her hips tightened as he slammed her against his own hips, his cock rubbing her clit as she climaxed and stilled against him. He hid his face against her neck as he reached his own climax and came inside of her, Sookie's hands trailing up and down his back when his body shuddered. Lying back down on the carpet, Eric pulled her down with him and secured his arms around her and they lay there until their breathing had evened. A moment later he rolled on top of her and sat back on his haunches, disposing of the condom before reclaiming his spot, this time next to hers.

"Worth the wait?" she mumbled sleepily.

"Meh," Eric shrugged before quickly rolling on top of her once again to press his lip to hers. "Yes," he murmured between kisses, "So very much worth the wait."

"Nice save, Mr Northman," Sookie smiled, "but you're heavy. And it's cold." They crawled into her bed and settled themselves under the covers, Eric hooking an arm around Sookie's waist and pulling her close.

"That was new," she whispered.

"What was?"

"You... going down on me," she mumbled, blushing in the dim light.

"Really?" He propped his head up on one hand, "I keep forgetting that you're not..." He stopped suddenly and Sookie raised an eyebrow.

"What, a whore?" Her smirk let him know she was kidding.

"Very experienced," he corrected. "Even your first time was amazing for me."

"Awww," her blush darkened.

***

Eric crawled on top of Sookie's covers the next morning.

"You need to go home," she mumbled into her pillow, "My parents are supposed to be back this morning."

"They are." He smiled, "That's why I snuck out the window half-naked, showered in my own house, and then knocked on the front door like the good boyfriend who would never debauch their innocent little girl."

Sookie giggled, "_Debauch_? I really like how that sounds." She lifted the comforter, "You might as well get in, 'cause I'm not getting up." Eric obliged, sliding under the covers and pulling her close to him, letting her tuck her head against his neck.

"So, I'm joining the Marines," he remarked casually, somehow managing to make Sookie's world freeze.

"What?"

"I'm-"

"I heard you!" Sookie scrambled away from him and sat up, covering herself with the sheets. Eric followed her lead and sat up.

"Sookie, come on." He chastised lightly.

"When were you planning on letting me know?"

"Is this a bad time?" Eric appeared genuinely confused.

"You told me you wanted to apply to university!" Sookie rummaged around for her robe and eventually found it, quickly putting it on and sliding out of bed.

"I never applied."

"You showed me the applications!"

"I never sent them in," Eric sighed and Sookie deflated.

"Why would you lie to me?" she whispered.

Eric ran a frustrated hand through his hair, "You seemed so happy when you talked about applying and getting accepted and going to university and... I just didn't have the heart to tell you."

"You didn't have the _heart to tell me_?" Sookie's voice reached a dangerous pitch before she pulled herself together and lowered her voice. "Telling me the morning after we have sex was okay, though?"

"You told me you love me. Doesn't that mean you will support me if I want to do something??" Sookie plopped down on her bed, "But leaving me? You're leaving me!"

Eric sat down next to her, "You're leaving me, love."

"Am not!"

"You're going to Stanford, Sookie." He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

"You could have gotten in, too, if you'd applied."

"I didn't have the marks for it."

"You got 2200 on your SATs, Eric!"

"Because you tutored me!"

"No, because you're fucking brilliant, you just don't put any effort into school!"

"And I'm not going to, even if I do get into university because you helped me!" He sighed, "You won't be there to tutor me for the rest of my life, Sookie. Even if you were, I wouldn't care enough to work hard enough to get a degree, even if you promised sex after every tutoring session." Sookie looked down at her clasped hands.

"Are you sure?" She asked hopefully, and Eric had to laugh.

"Yes." He put an arm around her waist, "This is what I want to do, Sookie. I want to join the Marines."

"But you're brilliant!"

"Then I'll be brilliant in the Marines."

Sookie groaned and hid her face in her hands, "Fine! _Fine_! Join the Marines! Leave me! Whatever. I don't care."

"Stop acting like you're not crazy about me," he leered and she rolled her eyes.

"I don't want to lose you, Eric," she said, her quiet voice carefully controlled.

"You're not going to," he promised.

"You sure? You're not going to decide you're gay in the military, are you?"

"Surprise!" Eric grinned and kissed her once.

Sookie was still laughing when they finally went downstairs for breakfast.

***

By May, Sookie was constantly nauseous and haunted by a vision of Eric dressed in Marine fatigues in the middle of a war zone, lying in his own growing pool of blood. The fear of losing him became a knot in her stomach as she studied chapter after chapter and wrote final essay after final essay in between all the times she spent groping Eric in the back of his Camaro. Eric, being Eric, appeared to be ill at ease. His time was spent with his football friends, or reluctantly studying at Sookie's insistence. In between all the times he spent groping Sookie in the back of his Camaro.

"Eric," Sookie giggled one evening as Eric climbed on top of her bed and pushed aside her notes and textbook, "I have a final in two weeks, c'mon."

"Fuck me," he murmured, bracing his hands on either side of her as he pushed her down unto her pillows, nibbling on her ear.

"Eric," her giggling died out to a quiet murmur, and she tilted her head up to kiss him gently, smiling happily when his hands tangled in her long hair. She opened her legs and tightened them around his hips, moaning when he grinded against her, his hardness rubbing against her through the thin fabric of her shorts. She pushed him away long enough to slide his shirt off and unbutton his jeans before pulling him close again to let him return the favour with her tank top and bra. She arched under him when his mouth latched on to her nipple, and a thud told her that Eric had kicked her textbook and notes off the bed.

"Touch me," she whimpered and then cupped his face in her hands, pulling his face up to her. "Touch me," she ordered this time, and he sat back to unbutton her shorts and slide them off.

"Oh god," he moaned, "I love it when you don't wear underwear."

"I know," she grinned devilishly, and he leaned down to kiss her, mouthing at her jaw as his fingers began rubbing her clit, dipping down and swirling in her wetness before returning to her nub.

"You like me touching you?" He whispered, "Like my fingers fucking you?"

"Ye-es," her voice broke, and she tried without succeeding to shove his pants down his hips using her feet. "Pants _off_, Eric." He chuckled darkly but did not respond, clearly wanting her to beg.

"So bossy."

"I want your cock inside of me." She all but growled, "I want you to fuck me."

That seemed to do the trick, because his pants and underwear were gone in the next second and he was pushing inside of her, establishing a rhythm that had her writhing under him. She murmured his name, digging her fingers into his hips and opening her legs even more to pull him in further.

"You feel so good," he groaned, his body tensing bit-by-bit on top of hers. She hooked an arm around his waist and pressed herself against him, loving the almost-gone smell of his cologne and the faint pain she felt every time he rocked into her that was deliciously overshadowed by the pleasure.

"Come for me, Sookie," he whispered into her ear, slamming into her a little harder so that she did just that, crying out his name as she did. Eric climaxed a minute later while she was still experiencing aftershocks, collapsing heavily on top of her. Sookie giggled and put her arms around him, kissing his hair tenderly.

"Now, tell me that doesn't beat studying for your finals." He mumbled into her chest, tickling her rapidly-cooling skin with his breath.

"If we get dressed and you put your pants on, you can sleep here and I can tell my mom that we fell asleep studying." Sookie mumbled.

"Think she'll believe it?"

"No," she laughed, "But she won't have any evidence against it."

Ten minutes later they were back in bed, this time under the covers. Sookie, having already changed into her pyjamas, snuggled closer to Eric, liking that he was being his affectionate post-coital self.

"What," he asked, half-asleep.

"What-what."

"You're thinking something."

"Very astute, Mr Northman," she laughed into his bare chest.

Eric sighed dramatically, "You're thinking about something that is absurd and you should not be worrying about it."

"Don't patronize me, Eric."

"Just tell me what's bothering you, Sookie." He propped his head up on an arm and looked down on her disapprovingly.

"Just, nevermind," she sighed and rolled away. Eric scooted closer to her.

"Sook, come on." He put a hand on her back, "Sookie. Baby." He kissed her shoulder and stroked her hair.

"I'm afraid of losing you," she squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment. Eric's hand stilled on her hair, and he was silent for so long that Sookie feared he had fallen asleep.

His voice was hoarse when he spoke again, "Why would you think you're losing me?"

"Because it's not enough that I was already going to lose you after graduation, but now there's the possibility of losing you in some war zone on the other side of the world."

"Sookie, I'm not going to die!" He sounded exasperated and Sookie rolled back to face him with sadness in her eyes. "And why would you have to lose me after graduation?"

"Because of... graduation?"

"Were you planning on breaking up with me after graduation?" He quirked a brow.

She bit on her lip, "No, but I assumed you would want to."

Eric's brows drew together, this time in disbelief, "I didn't fight for you for that long just to give you up because of some ridiculous ceremony."

"Eric, you're going to be in Oceanside, and I'm going to be in Stanford; We'll be like, five hundred miles apart," she pointed out gently.

He shrugged, "We'll still see each other somehow; it's only a ten-hour drive." He played absently with her hand. "I know they say the long-distance relationship thing never works and all, but we could at least give it a try, can't we?"

"Would you want that?"

"I want you," was his simple response. Fucking Eric and his innate ability to make any girl feel the warm fuzzies.

"I love you," she whispered quietly, her eyes trained on a freckle on Eric's stomach and he gave her hand a squeeze.

"If I tell you something, will you promise not to make a big deal out of it?"

"Um, sure?" She tamped down the wave of anxiety that suddenly threatened to take over her as her mind flipped through the possibilities of what he was going to tell her; that Pam was pregnant? That he valued their friendship too much? That he wasn't into women?

"I love you, too." He murmured.

Sookie had not known it was possible for her heart to literally skip a beat. "What?"

"Don't make a big deal out of it!" He repeated urgently.

"This is me not making a big deal out of it," she grinned privately into him and he held her close, placing soft kisses on her face and hair. Their mouths found each other, and they clung to each other once more.

"Wait, do you hear that?" Sookie asked suddenly, breaking away.

"It's your mom, shit!" They feigned asleep, making sure to take deep, even breaths and keeping their eyelids from fluttering. The door creaked open, and they heard Mrs Stackhouse laughing softly as she took in the open study material on the floor and her daughter and her boyfriend in bed. She was gone a moment later, light turned off, the door quietly clicking shut followed by her footsteps.

"Think she knows we were faking?" He asked again.

"Oh, I _know_ she does," Sookie rolled her eyes.

"Think she'll tell your dad?"

"Tell my dad?" she chuckled, "No. She'll tease us about it tomorrow, but I guess she knows what it was like to be my age."

"How very progressive of her." Eric commented with amusement in his voice. They said nothing for a long time, simply laying in the dark.

"Hey, Eric?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you say it again?"

"What, 'I love you'?"

She chuckled, "Yeah."

"I just did."

"No, but actually."

"Oh, actually?" Eric rolled on top of her, somehow managing to make out where her lips were in the dark as he pressed his lips against them.

"Yes," she giggled.

"I love you, my little over-achiever."

"Love you too, you big, strong Marine." She grinned in the darkness.

"Not yet," he pointed out.

"Soon enough." He rolled, taking her with him, until she was lying with her head on his chest.

"So, are we going to prom or what?" He asked casually into the silence.

Sookie lifted her head, "I dunno. Are you going to ask me?"

"I thought I just did," he sounded confused.

"That's not asking, Eric. That's 'So, are we gonna go to prom or what?', and that doesn't count." She lowered the pitch of her voice when she repeated his words for good measure.

"The fact that we're dating doesn't exempt me from having to ask you?"

"Depends on the person," Sookie shrugged, "I require that you ask me."

"So, uh, I know you have a boyfriend and all, but I was just wondering if you wanted to, maybe, y'know, go to the prom with me?" Eric even stuttered, clearing his throat at the end to complete the vision of the typical nervous high school boy asking a girl out.

"Well, I need to check with my boyfriend, but I mean, I guess it'd be cool?"

"Oh, cool! 'Cause you sound like a totally groovy chick."

Sookie bit her lip to keep from laughing, "I just hope my boyfriend won't be too mad. I mean, he might want to beat you up or something. He's the quarterback, y'know?"

Eric gasped, "Is he really? Sounds like a catch."

"Nah, not really."

"Oh, are you sure? I'm sure you're a very lucky-"

"Nope."

"Oh." He sounded so realistically hurt that Sookie pressed her body against his and kissed him.

"I'd love to go to prom with you," she murmured against his lips. "But only if you wear a tux."

He laughed lightly, "I'll wear a tux if you put out."

"I'll put out if you buy me a corsage."

"I'll buy you a corsage if your dress is low-cut."

"You've got yourself a deal, mister."

* * *

A/N: I couldn't say this before, but this story was sorta inspired by _Generation Kill_, which, for those of you who aren't hooked on Alexander Skarsgard, is an HBO mini-series about the Marines in Iraq.


	6. Chapter 6

_**In Another Life... **_** by PersianFreak**

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: M

Spoilers: None

A/N: I don't know how much longer this story is going to be. I have at least another 2 or 3 chapters in me, maybe more, but at the same time I don't want to drag it on for too long, because I feel like it's already quite long and I've been neglecting OMDB and NC, which I should have finished ages ago. Regardless, I guess I'll just play it by ear. Also, I know that there isn't a Plaza hotel in Shreveport. Alsoalso, 12 pages. I have never written this much for _anything_; school assignments included.

Let me know what you think, because reviews are very much appreciated.

* * *

"Mom?" Sookie asked from where she was perched on a highchair, chopping lettuce for a salad.

"Yes?"

"I'm going to prom with Eric."

Sookie's mother smiled, "Oh, really, now?"

Sookie raised her eyebrows, "Yeah, really."

"Huh," the older woman nodded, "Honey, I know you're a teenager and all, and you're probably going to be scandalized when I ask you this, but you're being safe, right?"

"Mom!"

"Oh, Sookie, don't act like I don't know what you two do when you 'fall sleep studying'!" Sookie's mom sighed exasperatedly, "I know I can't do anything to stop you two, but at least tell me you're not being stupid."

"I'm not an idiot, mom," Sookie mumbled, feeling the blood rush to her face.

"You promise? Don't be coming to me telling me that you're pregnant and-"

"_Mom!"_

She sighed, "Alright. Good. Are you done the salad?"

Sookie nodded and pushed the large bowl towards her mom, relieved to be done with the topic.

"And I'll give you some money for your dress; you're going shopping with Amelia?"

"Yeah, we were thinking of going on Monday. Thanks, mom." Sookie's mom smiled and nodded before asking Sookie to set the table.

***

"So, are you coming shopping with us after school?" Amelia asked Tara, biting into her sandwich.

"I guess so," the second girl shrugged.

"What do you mean, you guess so?" Arlene gasped from across the table, scandalized, "You don't have a dress yet!"

"I'm not going to prom, Arlene," Tara rolled her eyes.

"You can't not come to prom, you're a senior! Everybody goes to prom!" Amelia frowned.

Tara scoffed, "I have no interest in dressing up like an idiot and suffering through the assholes in our grade getting drunk off of the vodka they snuck into the gym."

"You're just bitter 'cause nobody's asked you," Arlene smirked, somewhat insensitively.

"Arlene," Sookie chastised.

"What, maybe if she wasn't such a-"

"Arlene!"

"You're such a bitch, Arlene," Tara scoffed.

Arlene rolled her eyes and gathered the remainder of her lunch. "Oh, whatever. I already have my dress anyways. You guys have fun." She exhaled angrily and stalked away, making sure to swing her hips and catch the eyes of any males who happened to be looking in her general direction.

"Just ignore her," Sookie smiled at Tara. "But you're coming to prom, even if I have to personally drag you kicking and screaming into the limo. You're not missing the last night of the best years of our lives."

"What a depressing thought," Tara grumbled.

"Oh, come on, don't be like that!"

"Why not? You're both going to same university on the other side of the country!" Sookie and Amelia exchanged a quick pleased glance, and Tara continued unaware, "And I'm going to be in fucking LSU."

"We'll still see each other!" Amelia insisted, though they all knew what the chances of that were. "At the very least during the holidays and stuff." Tara sighed, but let it go.

"Uh, Tara?" An uncertain voice asked, and the three girls looked up questioningly at Benedict "Eggs" Talley, the good-looking, albeit dumb-as-a-rock pitcher of the West Shreveport High baseball team.

"Yeah?" Tara cocked an eyebrow.

"Um, can I talk to you for a second?" A nervous smile appeared on his lips, his blue eyes warming as he took in Tara.

"Sure," she shrugged, but made no move to get up, causing Eggs to shift restlessly on his feet before giving up and deciding to go ahead with whatever he wanted to say.

"Well, I was just wondering if you wanted to be my date to the prom?" His smile turned hopeful and Amelia and Sookie exchanged a nervous glance, holding their breaths and awaiting Tara to let loose on the poor boy. Tara's eyes flicked briefly down the length of Eggs' body before returning to his eyes.

"I'd love to," she smiled softly, and the other three let out the breaths they hadn't realized they were holding.

"Great," he grinned, "Uh, great! I'll talk to you later, then. Bye Tara. Bye." He waved quickly at the other two girls and hurried away, clearly grinning as he did.

"Wow," Amelia commented.

"What," Tara smiled, surprisingly mellow. "He's cute. I have calculus with him."

Sookie raised her eyebrows, "I didn't think he was your type."

Tara shrugged, "Me, neither."

***

Sookie studied her reflection in the massive mirror of the clothing store fitting room.

"I dunno. What do you think?"

Tara lifted her head from where she had been resting it on a hand, slumped in a chair, "I don't know, Sook. They all make you look amazing; I don't even know why you're thinking so hard."

Sookie smiled at the compliment, "Hey, you found your dress. Let me find mine." Tara did not have the time to respond, because Amelia burst out of her fitting room, dressed in her tenth dress.

"Right?" Amelia nodded knowingly at the expressions on her friends' faces.

"Get it!" Sookie ordered, staring at the way the navy blue dress made her friend look like a movie star. Amelia twirled, her skirt flaring out and the faint sparkles on her dress twinkling like the night sky.

"Oh, I will." She grinned at her own reflection before glancing at Sookie. "I liked the black one better."

Sookie bit her lip, "I did too, but I feel like this one is more _fun_."

"It makes you look like a bride," Tara commented, her voice somewhat distorted thanks to the way her cheek was resting on her hand.

"Yeah, might scare the bejesus out of Eric." Sookie smiled.

"Then get the black one!"

"You think so?" Sookie turned to face her friends, and found them both nodding vehemently. "Alright. Black one it is, then."

"On to shoe-shopping!" Amelia exclaimed once they had both changed back into their clothes, their dresses draped over their arms.

"Yay, shoe-shopping," Tara muttered unenthusiastically, earning herself simultaneous slaps from the other two.

***

"Is it okay if I got a pink tux?" Eric asked absently, flipping through a magazine.

"_What?_"

He shrugged, "It was the only colour left. I figured a tux is a tux-"

"_Eric!_" Sookie gaped at her boyfriend, who burst out laughing.

"Relax, I was kidding!"

"That was _not_ funny!"

Eric smirked, "I don't know, your expression was pretty hilarious for a second there." Sookie scoffed and walked over, taking the magazine away from him. "What? Oh, come on, it was a joke!" Sookie shot him a dirty look and returned to her desk, refusing to look at him even when she felt him standing behind her. The next moment, however, Sookie was somehow slung over Eric's shoulder, letting out a small yelp when he dumped her unceremoniously on the bed and straddled her hips, clasping her wrists above her heads. Sookie giggled when he lowered his mouth to her neck, mouthing lazily at her skin.

"Alright, alright, if that's your way of making it up to me, then we're even." She smiled, stroking absently at the skin under the hem of his shirt when he let her hands go. Eric lifted his mouth, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"Do you want to-"

"No!" She laughed softly, "My mom's totally on to us."

Eric cocked a brow, "How?"

"She asked me if you and I were being safe," she murmured, an amused grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"We are, aren't we?" His lips brushed her jaw before he rolled off of her to lie on his side, his fingers drawing patterns on her stomach.

Sookie nodded, "I'm on the pill. But I don't know, it was awkward that she just looked me in the eye and told me that she knew you and I are having sex."

"Huh." Eric commented, "So I should stop with the good boyfriend routine?"

She laughed, "Yeah, she knows about the debauchery."

Eric's voice was muffled thanks to the way he was talking into the skin behind her ear, "I guess we're gonna have to be celibate from now on."

"You're tickling me," she murmured sweetly.

"You know I love you, don't you?"

Sookie squeezed her eyes shut at the longing that shot across her stomach and she nodded, "I love you." His hand tilted her head towards his and he kissed her, not letting the kiss deepen until she rolled into him, wrapping her arms around his form.

"We need to stop," she pushed his hair back and fleetingly wondered what he would look like with it shaved off. He groaned unhappily but pulled back, giving her a dirty look once he had. Sookie smiled, tracing the lines of his gorgeous lips.

"You should probably go. It's getting late."

"What, you want me out of here?" He teased.

"Yeah, my other boyfriend's going to be here soon, so you need to-" He silenced her with another kiss.

Eric smiled at her, his faint eyelashes throwing shadows on his skin, "I'm going." He got up, throwing a cursory glance around the room to make sure he wasn't leaving anything behind. "See you in the morning?" Sookie nodded. "Don't be late; I got in trouble for being late to homeroom the other day." She smacked him but smiled, following him down the stairs.

"G'night," his lips brushed against hers.

"Night," she hugged Eric, watching his easy stride across the lawn and to his own house. She fought the urge to dramatize the vision of him walking away, towards some unseen military monster that was going to take him away from her. She closed the door quickly, taking a minute to shake off the ominous feeling before walking into the living room.

"Hey, sweetheart," her dad smiled from where he was sitting on the couch, watching the Discovery Channel. Sookie plunked down the couch next to him.

"Eric leave?" He asked, returning to the television.

"Yeah, just now."

"Are you guys doing okay? Is he good to you?"

"Daddy!"

Mr Stackhouse smiled, "What, I'm not allowed to ask about my daughter's boyfriend?"

"Not when you're waiting for me to give you the signal to kick his ass," Sookie grumbled lightly and her dad shook his head, laughing. "I mean, butt."

"Right."

Sookie grinned, "Where's mom?"

"Shower," he muttered absently, then glanced up at the clock. "Shouldn't you be getting ready for bed?" Sookie grumbled incoherently but got up from the couch, making her father laugh when she glared at him and stomped away to her bedroom. Twenty minutes later, she crawled under her covers and prepared herself for another night of military-inspired nightmares starring Eric.

***

"No-no, you need to wear the Sparkling Champagne," Amelia shook her head and grabbed the blue eyeshadow out of Sookie's hand, replacing it with a gold palette of some ridiculously expensive brand. The three were already dressed, their shoes lined up on the edge of the Jacuzzi tub in Amelia's parents' master bathroom.

"Where did you even get this?" Sookie eyed the fancy case, "And I liked the blue! It shimmered."

"It's her mom's," Tara rolled her eyes and fluttered her lashes at her mirror, smiling at their ridiculous length and the way they framed her dark eyes.

"The blue would have outshined your eyes." Amelia remarked sagely, "The gold brings them out."

Tara stood back from the massive mirror and straightened her dress, "This whole eyeshadow-colour-bringing-out-eye-colour crap is bullshit anyways."

"Shuddup," Sookie smiled brilliantly at her friend, dabbing experimentally at the shimmering champagne-coloured shadow on the palette before applying it to her eyelids.

"Would you two hurry up?" Tara complained, perched on the edge of the tub beside her shoes.

"You look pretty!" Amelia offered as means of distracting her, and Tara smiled reluctantly.

Sookie turned around, "I'm ready. I think. How do I look?"

"Like you're getting laid tonight," Tara offered.

"Oh, I am," Sookie grinned devilishly.

Amelia chuckled, "Am I still covering for you guys?"

"Yeah, if that's still okay?"

"Of course," Amelia nodded, "And you, too," she added, turning to Tara who smiled appreciatively.

"I still can't believe Eric booked you two a hotel room," Tara remarked.

"Yeah, me neither." Sookie shook her head, "He's probably been saving up forever, to be able to get a room at the Plaza."

"The _Plaza_?" The other girl's eyes widened, and Sookie nodded, clearly thinking the same thing.

Amelia checked the time on her cellphone, "They should be here soon. Come on, you guys." She grabbed her clutch and the other two followed her down the stairs just in time for the doorbell to ring.

"Ohmigod," Amelia squealed and Sookie watched her swing the door open, her expression brightening to match Amelia's when Eric appeared, his eyes darting around the inside of the house before settling on her and widening.

"Hey," she greeted, walking over to put her arms around him, but he held her at a distance.

"You look _amazing_, Sook," he murmured before finally leaning forward to kiss her forehead and her lips.

"You don't look that bad yourself," she responded with a teasing smile, though in reality he looked fantastic. His tux was plain and classic, his vest and bowtie both white, his hair gelled to the side.

"Oh, that's it, huh?" The corner of his mouth turned up in a smirk.

Sookie put her arms around his shoulders, " 'Not that bad' in the 'you're absolutely beautiful' sorta way."

"Beautiful in a manly way though, right?"

"Oh, of course," she pressed her lips to his.

"I have something for you," he murmured, pulling back to show her the translucent plastic box that he had been clutching in his hand the entire time. He opened the box and tossed it onto the floor, retrieving the flowers and fastening them to her wrist.

"Aww, thank you. That's very traditional of you." She smiled and kissed him again.

"Love you," he whispered in her ear and she held him tight for a long time before finally releasing him at the sound of Tara's annoyed voice.

"Save it for later, you two!"

"Sorry," Eric apologized insincerely, and for the first time Sookie noticed her friends' dates, both dressed in crisp tuxes.

"You guys look good," Sookie observed with a smile, and Tray and Eggs both nodded their thanks.

"You girls ready to go?" Tray asked, his arms around Amelia, and the others nodded, following the two of them out to the limo waiting for them. The conversation flowed surprisingly smoothly in the limo, and it was no time before they were at the school, greeted by the tacky banners and balloons announcing the graduating class of 2009. Ten minutes later they were inside, gaping at the silver ribbons and cut-out silver stars that were the continuation of the decorations outside.

"This is ridiculously tacky," Eric muttered.

"Oh, come on," Sookie smiled, clasping his hand, "We're graduating. This is the last night you'll ever spend with some of these people," she continued before being struck by the fear that it was their last night as well.

"It's not our last night, Sookie," he told her as if he could read her mind.

"I know," she responded, albeit too quickly, earning herself a disbelieving noise from Eric.

"Dance with me," he dragged her onto the dance floor as the music changed to a slow song, pulling her close.

"We can leave early," she promised him and he chuckled.

"We'll stay as long as you want us to," he kissed her hair and she nodded into his neck.

Sookie lifted her head a little later, "So, I was thinking..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you want to come with me to Stanford? Y'know, help me settle in before going to Pendleton?"

"And stay with you for a few days?"

Sookie nodded, "They had some extra single rooms that no second-years signed up for, so they opened them up for first-years and Amelia and I each managed to get one." Eric considered that for a moment.

"We could drive out together," he suggested, "maybe ahead of your parents?"

"I'd like that," Sookie smiled, and Eric smiled in response, leaning his forehead against hers.

***

Sookie unlocked the door with a card key and pushed it open, flicking on the lights. Her mind barely had enough time to register the modern furniture before Eric turned her around to face him and kissed her. She moaned and pushed his jacket off of his shoulders. He broke away, tugging impatiently at his bowtie before moving on to his vest and shirt while Sookie yanked off her heels. He pulled her close again, his fingers deftly unzipping her dress and draping it over the back of some conveniently-placed couch. Sookie's hands fumbled with his belt buckle before she succeeded at taking his pants off, making a pleased noise as she did. Eric kicked them aside, taking a second to rip off his loafers and socks before he bent his head to her breasts, mouthing at her skin and sucking roughly on her nipples.

"Eric," she moaned, her fingers tangling in his hair.

"Wanted you all night," he moaned in response, momentarily returning to her lips before dropping to his knees and sliding off her panties. She grabbed his hand when he began kissing her stomach and led him to the modern, low bed, leaving him standing while she sat down on the edge and reciprocated with his boxer-briefs before taking him into her mouth.

"Shit, Sookie," he hissed. She relaxed her throat and took as much of him as she could, her hands lightly teasing his balls. When he came, his entire body jerked and he moaned when she swallowed and looked up at him, cocking a brow suggestively.

"Jesus," he dropped to his knees and kissed her, licking at her mouth like he would die without it. Eric leaned her back, not breaking away as she scrambled backwards to the center of the bed and pulled him back down on top of herself.

"Your hair's wet," Eric murmured sleepily several hours and a shared shower later.

"I'm too tired to blow-dry it," Sookie smiled in response and snuggled closer to him, giggling when he brought her body flush against his and kissed her neck.

"You looked beautiful tonight," he whispered.

She grinned, " 'Looked'?"

"You always look beautiful. You _are_ beautiful."

"I like how you talk after we have sex," she cooed.

"Incentive for you to constantly have sex with me." He smiled with his eyes closed.

"Like I needed more incentive," she chuckled.

"Oooh," he leered, opening his eyes.

Sookie traced his lips with her fingers, "I love you. I know that we're just kids and we probably don't actually know what it feels like to love someone, but I've known you for thirteen years and I've loved you for as long as I can remember, so it feels real. As real as it can be, I mean. I guess."

Eric kissed her fingers and moved her hand to his chest. "Did you know I had a crush on you when we were kids?"

"You did? When?"

He nodded, "Yeah. In grade 7, the year that you liked that kid Dylan."

"Oh yeah!" Sookie chuckled, "God, he was such a jerk to me."

"But you thought he looked cool and smelled good," he finished for her, "That's when I started putting on my dad's cologne everyday just so you would think I smelled good, too."

"You did?" Eric nodded sheepishly. "I never knew that. I liked you in like, grade 9 and 10." She offered with a smile and he looked at her in surprise.

"Even after I stopped being your friend?"

"Yeah," she bit her lip in embarrassment, "That's why it was so hard for me without you. It was hard watching all these girls be all over you, and you looking like they were all you needed. Them and the football team."

"I'm sorry." He stroked her hair back from her face.

"It's nothing to be sorry about," she shrugged. "I just always had this little fantasy that we would be each other's first time, y'know? It was ridiculous and idealistic, but it's how I always imagined things."

"It's not ridiculous," he propped his head up on one hand. "And I was your first time, wasn't I?"

Sookie smiled, "Yeah, but I wasn't yours."

"You were the first girl I loved," he told her seriously and was clearly taken aback when she burst out crying. "Sook, what-"

"I'm sorry," she wept into him, "I don't know what..."

Eric moved closer to her, "Sookie, don't. Don't cry." Sookie tried. She tried her hardest to hold back the tears that had been threatening to fall all night, but she couldn't. She wanted to tell him that she loved him, that she was terrified of losing him, that she wanted him to herself for ever, but she couldn't. Instead, she buried her face in his chest and clung to him, taking solace in his warmth and his comforting words. "I love you. I love you so much, Sook, and I wish things didn't have to change just as much as you do, but they have to, alright? They have to, and they will, and the best way to deal with it is to adapt. So we will adapt. Okay, sweetheart?"

"You love me?"

"Yeah, you knew that already."

"Yeah, but it feels so strange every time you say it. You just don't look like a guy who would say 'I love you'."

"It's a facade," he told her quite sombrely, "Inside, I'm just a big old softy. I wept when _Friends_ ended."

"Awww, do you watch old reruns every Friday night?"

"Yup," he sniffled and wiped away an imaginary tear, causing Sookie to laugh out loud and pull him close again.

***

Sookie taped shut the last cardboard box and rummaged around for a sharpie before scrawling "books" on it.

"Is that the last one?" Eric asked, walking into her bedroom and Sookie nodded.

"Yeah," she took a step back and pulled her hair into a ponytail. "It's heavy, though." Eric rolled his eyes and picked up the box as easily as he had the other ones and disappeared once more. Sookie walked over to the window, watching Eric put the box into the little aerodynamic cargo trailer that would be connected to the back of his Camaro. He slammed the door shut and leaned against it, looking up and nodding at his girlfriend. "You sure your car can pull it?"

Eric scoffed, "My car's not that crappy!" He called, his eyes flicking down to what turned out to be Mrs Stackhouse who handed him a glass of lemonade. Eric smiled gratefully, their conversation faint to the ears of Sookie, so she turned away from the window and surveyed what had been her room for all of her life. Her shelves were empty, with all of her belonging either in boxes to be taken to Stanford or down in the basement where they would be stored indefinitely. Her bed was untouched, in preparation for the last night Sookie would spend in it, and a duffel bag sat in the corner, filled with a few changes of clothes and the rest of the things Sookie would need during the week-long drive to California. Sookie fought back the rising wave of sadness and joined her parents and boyfriend downstairs.

"Everything is packed?" Mr Stackhouse asked.

"Yeah, I'm good to go." Sookie nodded, standing beside Eric who was now sitting in a highchair in the kitchen.

"You should go get cleaned up, then," her mother suggested, eyeing the two sweaty teenagers in her kitchen. "Eric, will your dad be joining us?" Sookie bit her lip and awaited his reply. Eric shook his head.

"No, I don't think so."

"Does he know you're leaving tomorrow?" Sookie asked gently and was slightly taken aback when she saw the faint hostility in his eyes.

"Yeah, I told him. How much he remembers, I don't know."

"Oh, okay," Sookie looked down at her feet, feeling the blood rush to her cheeks.

"I'm gonna go get ready," he said into the sudden silence, and when Sookie looked up, he was gone.

"Oops," Sookie's dad remarked, looking amused.

Sookie sighed, "I'm going to take a shower."

An hour later, Sookie emerged from her room, wearing a simple black strapless dress and matching flats, her hair falling down her back in casual waves.

"Mom, I'll be right back, okay?" She called towards the kitchen, from which she could smell delicious scents wafting out.

"Don't take too long, Sook. Your friends will be here soon!"

"I won't," she promised and slipped out the front door, literally walking into Amelia.

"Jesus, Sook, watch it!"

"Sorry, sorry," Sookie bit her lip in an attempt at not laughing at her friend. "You look really pretty."

"Thanks," Amelia grinned, brushing off imaginary dust from her own dress.

"Um, go on in, I just need to go talk to Eric for a second," she pushed the door open.

Amelia waggled her eyebrows suggestively, "Oh, really?"

"Really! I said something about his dad and... yeah. Anyways. I'll be right back." Sookie shook herself, "Mom! Amelia's here!" She called into the house and pushed her friend in, ignoring her protests and closing the door behind her. She hurried to Eric's house, and raised her fist to the door just as he opened it.

"Oh, hey!" Sookie greeted breathlessly, wondering how many times she was going to run into people tonight.

"Hey," he raised an eyebrow, "I was just about to come over. What's up?"

"I just wanted to make sure that you weren't still mad at me," Sookie babbled.

"Ah," Eric's eyes cooled ever-so-slightly.

"A-are you?" Why was she so nervous suddenly? He wasn't a stranger, he was her _boyfriend_, for crying out loud.

Eric shrugged, "It's not a big deal." He made to walk past her but she grabbed his wrist.

"Eric," she looked down and almost laughed at how small her hand looked clutching his, "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't realize I was being-"

"You weren't, Sookie." He insisted, "I just don't like talking about my dad. You know that. I don't like being reminded of how fucked up he is."

"I know, I'm sorry," she dropped her head, "I didn't mean to upset you."

"It's okay," he laughed lightly and pressed a kiss into her hair.

"You sure?" She looked up at him and he smiled the smile that he reserved for her, bending down to kiss her. The kiss became far too heated far too quickly, and Eric pressed her body into the house, his mouth exploring hers even as he stopped his hands from pushing up her dress.

"I want you," he groaned into her neck.

"Sneak into my room tonight?" She murmured and he nodded, kissing her one last time before leading her across the grass and into her own house. Mrs Stackhouse had scrubbed the entire house clean while Sookie had been packing, and as a result all flat surfaces were gleaming. The dining table was already set, the good china and the fancy wineglasses reserved for Christmas and Thanksgiving ready for use. Amelia was transferring soup from the pot into one of Mrs Stackhouse's favourite bowls (because she had favourite bowls), but looked up when they walked in.

"Had a good talk?" She leered, and Mrs Stackhouse appeared out of the pantry and shook her head at Amelia.

"Yes, we did, thank you very much," Sookie scowled at her friend, and set to helping with dinner while Eric settled down on the couch with her dad, striking up a conversation about God-knows-what. Tara arrived not long after, and dinner was served. Mrs Stackhouse was a fantastic cook and she had truly outdone herself with Sookie's good-bye dinner. Apart from the soup, dinner consisted of stuffed chicken breasts and garlic mashed potatoes, glazed carrots and creamed corn. Sookie's dad even offered them wine, stating that a little alcohol couldn't harm them, considering the circumstances. Conversation flowed naturally, to Sookie's relief, and everyone felt comfortable participating, though later Sookie suspected that it was in part due to the wine. The suspicion was confirmed when Mrs Stackhouse teared up when the topic of university was brought up.

"Alright, honey, that's enough of that," her father smiled, gently taking away her wineglass. Dinner was cleared up within minutes, and the group moved to the couches in the adjoining room.

"So, Amelia, are you getting ready to fly out?" Mrs Stackhouse asked, the effects of the wine having worn off sufficiently.

"Yeah, I'm going through my stuff and packing things for storage."

"What day are you leaving?"

"Thursday morning?" Amelia offered uncertainly and then nodded to herself, "Yeah, Thursday morning. My parents are leaving Thursday night."

"Oh, we're going on Wednesday and leaving that night," Sookie's mother smiled at her daughter.

"It'd be easier if I didn't have a car I needed," Eric sighed, also looking at Sookie, "Then we could just fly, too."

"Yeah, lucky I don't have a car of my own," Amelia rolled her eyes amidst general laughter. At some point during the evolution of the conversation topic from getting to university to being in university, Sookie got up quietly and made her way out to the front porch. She stood by the railing and looked up at the sky, watching the occasional cloud against the sky, and the full moon casting eerie shadows on the ground.

"Are you hiding?" Eric came up behind her, his hands resting on either side of hers on the railing.

"No," Sookie closed her eyes and leaned back into him, "I just got tired of all the university talk."

"I thought you loved getting to go to university," his breath blew against her bare shoulder and she shivered slightly.

"I do, but it's all anybody talks about. It's all we've talked about since the end of junior year." Eric's arms abandoned the railing and wrapped around her waist.

He chuckled, "You actually like it and you're tired of talking about it. Imagine how I feel!"

"That's a good point," Sookie smiled, "How long did you listen to me ramble on about applications and shit knowing that you didn't even want to go?"

"A long time." Sookie smacked his hand and he laughed, "What, you asked!"

"I wish you'd told me sooner."

"Why? What difference would it have made?" Sookie turned to put her arms around his shoulders.

"It would have changed things," she insisted.

"How? You were going to dump me after graduation anyways."

"I didn't _want_ to! I had just accepted it as inevitable."

Eric made a barely discernible noise and sat down on the porch steps, Sookie joining him after a slight pause.

"Don't be grumpy." She nudged him playfully, but his glare let her know that he was in no mood to be playful. "I'm pregnant."

"_What?_"

"Kidding!"

"We need to have a discussion about the things you're allowed to joke about!"

"Sorry, sorry," she pursed her lips in an attempt at not smiling, a part of her unclenching in relief when she saw the unhappy look leave his eyes. Putting an arm around her waist, Eric pulled her close and lightly kissed her hair, letting her lean into him.

"You smell good," she smiled with her eyes closed.

"Thank you." Sookie absently drew circles on the inside of his leg, and Eric groaned.

"Sookie," he complained, pulling her hand to the top of his knee.

"Oh, sorry," she leered, "Was that too close for comfort?"

"If you don't watch yourself, I'm going to have to throw you back onto this porch and make you scream until your lungs give out," Eric growled threateningly in her ear, and she turned quickly to trap his mouth with hers.

"Whoa there, cowboy," Amelia commented, the light from the inside of the house spilling out onto the porch, "Save some for the road-trip."

Eric sighed and pulled away, entirely ignoring Amelia as he turned back to face the deserted street.

"Hey, Mel," Sookie greeted meekly, taking Eric's hand as Amelia made herself comfortable beside her friend.

"Tired of all the university talk?"

"How could you tell?" Sookie snorted, smiling briefly when Eric began drawing circles on the back of her hand.

Her friend grinned and glanced at her watch, "I should get home soon. You guys leaving early tomorrow?"

"We're going to try," Eric told her with a sly smile, glancing pointedly at Sookie.

"What, I can get up early!"

"Who said you couldn't?" He smiled innocently and Sookie elbowed him in the ribs, the three laughing.

***

Sookie lay on top of her covers, wearing one of Eric's old t-shirts and just panties as she thought back to the evening with closed eyes. Tara had gotten teary-eyed as they had said good-bye, hugging Sookie and making her promise that they would keep in touch, while Amelia smiled and told her she would see her in a week. She smiled as her mind wandered further back to her last year in high school. So much of her time had been spent with Eric; perhaps why she had enjoyed it so much. She thought back to October and Amelia's party, and the horrible day when her mother had suffered her heart attack, remembering that night and how safe she had felt with Eric laying next to her. She rolled onto her side and curled up, wondering if Eric was coming over soon as her mind continued flipping through her memories of the past year.

"I feel like a stalker watching you from outside your window," Eric commented as he hoisted himself over the sill.

"Who said you had to watch from outside?" Sookie smiled, sitting up to kiss him.

"What were you thinking about?"

"Just reminiscing," she murmured as Eric ducked down to push up her shirt and kiss her stomach.

"About what?"

"This past year," she smiled, lifting her hips and allowing him to slip off her panties.

"It was a good year," he agreed, relieving her of her shirt as well. "Is this my shirt?"

Sookie bit her lip playfully, "Yeah. You left it here a while ago."

"It looks good on you; keep it." He stood up to take off his own clothes and got under the covers with her. They kissed for the longest time, Sookie's hands memorizing the ripple of the muscles of his back while Eric's hands played with her nipples until they were perfectly erect. Sookie whimpered quietly at the growing warmth between her legs and she squirmed restlessly, wanting more than just his mouth and hands, but the latter were the ones that moved to her core to test her wetness, making her breath catch in her throat at when he rubbed at her folds.

"Eric," she breathed, clutching at his hips as he buried himself between her legs. He paused only a moment before he began moving, his thrusts deep and slow. "Jesus," Sookie gasped, tilting her hips up to get the most friction from him.

"Fuck," he gasped when her fingers dug into his skin, no doubt leaving red marks, but he began thrusting faster and faster, grinding into her so fast that she moaned a little too loudly. Eric paused, shushing her.

"_Eric, don't stop_," Sookie hissed in response and he obliged, grinding even harder into her so that she climaxed, her chest heaving with the rush of endorphins. Eric hid his face against her neck and came as she was still experiencing aftershocks, making a choked noise as he did. Putting her arms around him, Sookie closed her eyes and kissed his hair.

"That was so worth being sleep-deprived tomorrow," she mumbled, making Eric laugh.

"I should go, though," he kissed her jaw and she whined unhappily. "I'm going to fall asleep and that won't end well when your parents find us in the morning."

She grumbled incoherently, "Okay, _fine_. If you must."

"I must," he kissed her and somehow extricated himself from her embrace, quickly dressing himself. "Wait, I have something for you." He crawled on top of the covers this time, having retrieved a box from the pocket of his shorts. Sookie accepted the box, shooting him a curious look.

"What is this?"

"I guess you could call it a graduation present."

"But I didn't get you anything!"

He gave her a quick kiss and put his arms around her, "I don't want anything. Open it." Sookie obliged, untying the light green ribbon and opening the box.

"Oh my god, Eric," she whispered, retrieving one stud earring.

"I wanted to get you something that lasted, and diamonds last forever, so..."

"They're actual diamonds? You got me _actual_ diamonds?"

Eric shrugged with a smile, "Do you like them?"

"Jesus, Eric, of course I love them, but you're spending way too much on me, with the hotel room and then these!"

"Technically, the hotel room wasn't just for you," Eric grinned, "I got to enjoy it, too. Very much, if you recall."

"I know," she grumbled, "But you work two different jobs, and I feel bad when you splurge on a room at the Plaza and diamond earrings."

"I save up most of what I make, and I have a big chunk of money that I no longer need, Sook."

"Your college fund?" He nodded. "Oh. What about your dad?"

Eric's fingers entangled with hers, "We inherited a shitload of money from my great-aunt a few years ago. Half of it was supposed to cover for university, and the other half I left for my dad."

"You really have this all figured out, don't you?"

"Yes. Yes, I do." He grinned, "Which means that once in a while, I can afford to splurge on my girlfriend."

"I love you – you know that – which means that I don't need fancy rooms and gifts."

"I know," he inclined his head. "I know you're not that shallow, Sook. I'm not giving you these to keep you interested; I got you them because I thought you'd like them. And you would, if you weren't so hung up on the price tag."

Sookie looked down at the way the gems caught the moonlight and reflected it, "You're right." She met his gaze with a smile, "I'm sorry, I do love them. And I love you. But not necessarily in that order."

Her boyfriend laughed, leaning forward to kiss her, "That is good to hear." Sookie shut the box and placed it beside her so she could turn and fully immerse herself in his kiss, breaking away only when she could no longer put off breathing. He trailed kisses on her jaw and cheek.

"I should go," he sighed into her hair.

"Okay," she smiled, "I'll see you in a few hours."

He kissed her one last time, "Yes you will."

"G'night, baby." She smiled sweetly and he squeezed her hand, returning the sentiment before climbing out of the window and disappearing.


	7. Chapter 7

_**In Another Life... **_** by PersianFreak**

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: M

Spoilers: None

A/N: Happy new year and merry Christmas, everyone =) Let me know what you think of this, reviews are very much welcomed!

* * *

Sookie's alarm rang at seven the next morning, which wouldn't have been so hard had she not stayed up with Eric the previous night. As it was, she had only had about five hours of sleep, which amounted to very little in Sookie's book. Sookie's hand smacked the clock upside the head, effectively shutting it up before she dragged herself out from underneath her covers which smelled very much like Eric. Smiling despite the sleep deprivation, Sookie stumbled to the bathroom in the dark.

Half an hour minutes later, she was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt and was dragging her now-fully-packed duffle bag down the stairs.

"'Mornin'," she mumbled to her parents, both of whom appeared far too well-rested and cheery for Sookie's tastes.

"Good morning, sweetheart," her mother actually kissed Sookie's forehead. "Do you want pancakes? I don't know what Eric would want to eat, but I think I remember him liking pancakes, huh? If not, I guess he can have cereal, but I really don't want to send him off that way..." Sookie interrupted her mother's nervous babble by assuring her that pancakes would be just fine as she poured herself some coffee and sat down at the breakfast table.

"Did you pack everything?" Mr Stackhouse inquired, setting down his newspaper, and Sookie nodded. "Got my credit card?" Sookie's parents had lent her their credit card for the road trip, reminding her multiple times that it was to be used only for a motel, food, and even the gas that Eric's car would be using up in driving their daughter across the country. All in all, it was a very generous move, and one that made Sookie choke up just a little bit.

"It's in my wallet," Sookie nodded again, dumping a ridiculous amount of sugar into her coffee. The doorbell rang then, and she jumped up to open it.

"You're up early," Eric smiled, perhaps a touch too indecently. He was dressed in faded out and ripped jeans and his old leather jacket over a white t-shirt; he looked like a fucking movie star.

"Oh, shut up," Sookie groused, further annoyed that she was wearing shorts and he had actually bothered to look good.

"Hey," he grabbed her wrist when she turned away and planted a kiss on her lips, "Good morning."

"Good morning," Sookie reciprocated reluctantly, somewhat glad that her parents couldn't see them when she tilted her head up to kiss him again.

"Eric, let go of my daughter and come eat your breakfast!" Mrs Stackhouse called from the kitchen and Eric obliged, smiling in amusement.

"Hello," he greeted Sookie's mother, though her father received a "Good morning, sir" that made Sookie roll her eyes and reclaim her seat and coffee.

"Thank you," she smiled at the plate of pancakes that was set down in front of her, Eric echoing her sentiments before they both dug in.

"Does your car have a full tank?" Mr Stackhouse asked in that polite tone that let Eric know his activities with Sookie were not news to anyone, and that as the boyfriend of a much beloved daughter, Eric was merely tolerated.

"No, sir, but that's what I'm planning to do first thing."

"And you have a spare tire," the older man's tone did not pose a question, but Eric confirmed the fact anyways.

"And your car is in good condition?"

"Dad," Sookie complained mildly, "Stop it with the Spanish Inquisition!"

"What, I'm just checking to make sure you guys are all ready to go." Her father blinked innocently, and Sookie got up to put her plate in the sink, shaking her head.

"It's not a problem, I understand," Eric smiled politely and patted her knee under the table when she sat back down. Mrs Stackhouse smiled discreetly.

"You guys should get going," her mother suggested lightly once Eric's plate had joined Sookie's and the two obeyed. They were outside a moment later and Sookie saw that Eric's car was parked in front of their house with the cargo trailer already hooked up to it.

"How long have you been up?" Sookie asked.

"A couple of hours," Eric shrugged, "I went for a run."

"That would have been a good idea," Sookie groaned, placing her bag in the trunk beside Eric's before turning back to face her parents.

"Call us every night, okay?" Sookie's mother's eyes widened, their blue strangely faded in the light of the early morning.

"I will," Sookie promised, hugging her mother. "Bye, mom. I love you."

"Bye, baby," Mrs Stackhouse's voice broke and Sookie pulled back in shock.

"Mom, you'll see me in a week! Don't cry!"

"I know, I know," she wiped at her eyes and her husband briefly put and arm around her before pulling his daughter into an embrace.

"Be careful," he whispered, kissing her hair, "Love you."

"Love you, too, daddy," Sookie smiled, pulling away when she heard her mother's voice.

"Oh, Eric, darling, I'll miss you, too!" Sookie watched in astonishment as her mother pulled her boyfriend into a hug, though she had to stand on her toes and Eric had to bend down awkwardly. Eric shot Sookie a baffled look over the older woman's shoulder and Sookie smiled, committing the image to memory.

"Don't you dare get yourself hurt in the Marines, or I will personally find a way to come over there and kick your ass," she threatened Eric, her hands on either side of his face.

"I'll be fine," Eric promised with a hint of his award-winning smile, and Mrs Stackhouse released him. Sookie hugged her mother again as Eric and her dad shook hands and said their farewells until the following week, and then Eric and Sookie were in the car and driving away, Sookie twisting in her seat to wave good-bye to the two figures standing on the driveway of what used to be her home.

"Hey, you okay?" Eric asked uncertainly.

"Yeah," she smiled, wiping away the tears that had just fallen, "I guess it just hit me." Eric's hand took hers and held it in his lap, his fingers stroking hers reassuringly. "Thanks for putting up with my dad."

"Oh, it was no problem," Eric actually laughed, "I figure if I'm going behind his back and doing dirty things to you while he's down the hall sleeping then I might as well take it when he interrogates me about shit."

"I like the dirty things you do to me," Sookie smirked, carefully looking out the window.

"So, I'm pulling over at the next gas station, and we are having sex in the bathroom." He announced casually, and Sookie laughed, clutching his hand tightly.

***

"Sookie," a hand nudged Sookie's knee and she groaned and turned her head away from the voice. "Sweetheart, wake up."

Sookie made an incoherent noise, "I'm sleeping!"

Laughter. "I know, I've been in the car with your lazy ass for the past four hours." Offended, Sookie opened her eyes unhappily and met the gaze of Eric.

"I was _tired_, okay!"

"Okay, okay," Eric bit his lip in an attempt at holding back the sneer, "Sorry. Do you want food?" For the first time, Sookie realized that they were parked in front of a McDonald's.

"Yeah, food would be good. And coffee." She rubbed at her eyes and followed Eric out of the car, glancing at her reflection in the window. "AH."

"What?"

"I look interesting." Sookie shot herself another displeased look and fell in step behind Eric, "It's what I get for being too lazy to put on makeup."

"You look fine," Eric promised her, taking her hand and studying the massive over-head menu once they were inside. "What do you want?"

"Surprise me." Sookie grumbled and hid her face in Eric's chest, making him laugh.

"What's wrong with you?"

"I'm too sleepy to function!"

"I'm pretty sure you just caught up on all the hours that you missed last night," Eric commented, kissing her hair and nudging her forward in the line.

"I like my sleep in one chunk and during the night, thankyouverymuch."

"Alright, I get it! No more midnight sex!" Eric teased, causing a middle-aged woman to shoot a displeased look at them over her shoulder; Eric met her gaze evenly.

Sookie put her arms around his waist, "Who are you trying to fool?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Eric blinked innocently, smiling when she stood on her tippy-toes to kiss him.

"Where are we, anyways?" Sookie's phone told her it was just after noon.

Eric was still trying to make a decision, "Um, we passed Dallas about an hour ago." A McDonald's employee waved them forward and Eric gave her their order, picking an item at random for Sookie who was drowsily taking in her surroundings. The restaurant was pretty crowded, filled nearly to the limit with tired families and hyperactive children bargaining with their Happy Meal toys. Once their food was ready, they took turns sitting at the table while the other went to the bathroom. Sookie splashed water on her face when it was her turn to go, careful to avoid the random puddles of water collecting on the dirty tiles as she made her way back out.

"You look more awake," he commented through a mouthful of fries.

"Yeah," Sookie unwrapped her burger, "Do you want me to drive for a bit?" Eric swallowed, shooting her an apprehensive look. "Oh, come on! I have my license now!"

"You've had it for a month," he pointed out and she scoffed.

"Fine, you can drive all the way. All 30 hours of the way."

Eric sighed and put down his burger, "Fine, you drive."

"I'm not gonna drive if you don't want me to drive."

"Drive!"

Sookie smiled sweetly, "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he rolled his eyes. "Just don't get me killed."

"No promises," Sookie took a sip of her water and smiled. The finished their lunch and Sookie followed Eric out the door. Eric didn't stop at the car though, instead opting to lead Sookie to the entrance of a bathroom at the gas station next door. Sookie followed him through the inconspicuous door tucked into the side of the building, feeling anticipation grow in the pit of her stomach as Eric nudged her in. It was a single room with a toilet and a sink in the corner, a diaper-changing station embedded in the wall across from the door. And, Sookie was relieved to notice, it was clean. Satisfied, she grabbed hold of Eric's collar and brought his body crashing into hers and into the wall, their lips already duelling for dominance as Eric's fingers popped open the button of her shorts and unzipped them, sliding them and her underwear down her thighs. Sookie's moans got swallowed up by him, and her fingers moved under his shirt to dig into the well-defined muscles of his chest. Eric hissed and rubbed at her clit, a finger dipping further down to swirl the wetness around the hard nub. There was the sound of Eric's pants unzipping, and then he pushed into her, groaning when she made a choked noise and arched her back.

"More," she breathed and tried to open her legs further, but her shorts were getting in the way and it took some time and a lot of struggling before she managed to free one leg and hitch it up on the diaper-changing station. It was only then that Eric obliged, pushing in ever so slowly with his eyes trained on hers to watch for the tiniest flickers on her face, in her eyes. He pulled out just as slowly, his heart beating erratically under the hand Sookie had laid flat on his chest.

"Eric," she gasped and claimed his mouth again, biting and leaving his lips red and swollen while his mouth returned the favour. His thrusts sped up eventually, the sounds they made rising in pitch and desperation as nails sunk into flesh and teeth grazed lips until they both fell over the edge, one right after the other. Sookie mouthed at Eric's neck lazily afterwards, smiling at the sound of contentment he made. When they finally managed to untangle and fix their clothing, they stepped out to find at least half a dozen people waiting in line for the bathroom.

They waited until they had reached the car and were out of sight of the disgruntled bathroom people before laughing hard enough to make their stomachs ache, Sookie hiding her blush against Eric's neck even as her laughter died out.

"Damn, I'd pay so much to see their faces when they heard us," he chuckled, perching on the hood of his car with Sookie still in his arms.

"You think they _heard_ us?"

"You're loud when you come," Eric teased. "Not that I'm complaining," he added when he noticed the flicker of embarrassment in her eyes.

"Hmmm," she pursed her lips in mock displeasure and he kissed her, letting her settle back into his arms.

"You're cuddly today," he observed carefully.

"I guess. I almost want us to just turn around and go back home."

"Afraid?" He wasn't trying to get a rise out of her, she could tell, so she gave the question some thought before responding.

"A little," she responded eventually, "I don't like that I have to adapt," she added with a smile, knowing what he was about to say. Eric didn't say a word; just stared at her like he could have stood there forever with just Sookie in his arms and he wouldn't have needed anything else in the world. Sookie felt her insides twisting in that horrible way that she had come to associate with the thought of Eric leaving.

"Leaving" reverberated painfully in her mind.

"I love you," she enunciated quietly, brushing his lips with her thumb before realizing that her vision was blurred.

Fuck; she hated how much of a crybaby she was becoming lately.

"Is that why you're crying?" He smiled, almost teasing.

Sookie actually laughed through her tears, "I'm not that angsty."

"Then why are you crying?"

"No reason at all." She kissed him and gently stepped out of his arms before wiping her eyes. "Should we go?" He inclined his head and turned towards the driver's door.

"Uh uh uh!" Sookie hooked a finger through his belt and pulled him back, holding her hand out for the car keys with a grin. Eric groaned and handed them to her, unceremoniously claiming the passenger seat.

"And I had so much to live for," Sookie heard him mutter and smacked his stomach, smiling as she pulled out of the parking spot and merged unto the road.

***

Sookie yawned spectacularly, wincing a little at the headlights of the car behind her reflecting off of the rear view mirror and into her eyes. The road ahead of her was illuminated only by her own headlights, the road crew having deemed streetlights unnecessary, so Sookie had to slow down to a little under the speed limit to keep herself from ramming into something. There was a groan and a shuffling sound behind her and Eric sat up, resting his chin on the driver's seat.

"Good morning!" Sookie could hear the smile in his voice.

"You slept more than I did," she pointed out, glancing at the radio clock. "It's almost ten."

He kissed her shoulder, "Sorry. Want to switch?"

"I was thinking of just pulling over at the next motel?"

"Well, I can drive and you can sleep. We don't have to stop yet."

"Huh," Sookie rubbed her eye, "Okay. I need to call my parents." The car came to a stop, gravel hitting the metal as Sookie pulled off the road. Switching seats, Sookie pulled on the hoodie that Eric had abandoned and curled up even though she had more space than Eric had had lying down in the backseat. She quickly dialled her parents and let them know where they were and what they were doing, informing them of the change in plans and assuring them multiple times that they would drive carefully before getting a chance to wish them goodnight and hang up.

"Where are we?" Eric asked, having resumed driving.

"Past Odessa, somewhere," Sookie mumbled, flipping her phone shut and shoving it into the pocket at the back of Eric's seat, "the map is on the passenger seat."

"Hmm, 'kay. Good night."

"Night, baby."

***

Eric woke Sookie up at some point, telling her that she needed to watch the sun rise over the barren horizon. He had stopped at a gas station, and he asked her if she wanted coffee.

"Yes." The answer was always the same, and Eric laughed. The gas paid for and the car moved out of the way of the traffic, Eric handed her a steaming mug of something that had very little coffee in it, but it would suffice.

"It's so pretty," Sookie observed drowsily. She meant it; the city of Benson, Arizona, had little to offer in terms of a skyline, but that only made watching the sunrise easier. Pink and orange and yellow melded and streaked across the horizon, reaching up to join with the light blue of the desert sky. The beauty of it woke Sookie up and she gently pulled Eric back into her, putting her arms around his shoulders as she sat on the car and he stood, both of them still watching the sun rise. Eric fidgeted when the sun had fully risen and Sookie planted a kiss at the base of his neck before letting him go and announcing that she was making a trip to the bathroom, emphasizing the "alone" part.

"I need a shower," she told her reflection after she had brushed her teeth and washed her face, applying enough makeup so as to look decent. Returning to the car, she found Eric lying on his back across the backseat, his feet propped up on the top of the open car door.

"Comfortable?" She grinned and he removed his feet to kick the door open, allowing her to crawl on top of him and rest her head on his chest.

"I'm sleepy," he whispered, his fingers tracing invisible lines on her back.

"Let's just sleep here," she suggested, "I'm comfy."

"Oh, I have no doubt that you are," he laughed, his fingers absently pushing her shirt up to find a strip of flesh. Sookie shivered and closed her eyes, letting herself drift off to sleep listening to the sounds Eric's heart made.

***

By the time the sun had set, their exhaustion was more than could be compensated by naps in the back seat, and they both agreed to find a motel to spend the night in. Their progress had already slowed considerably due to the numerous breaks they found they had to take in order to keep from going insane, so dinnertime found them in Ontario, California. Finding a motel that was clean wasn't as hard as Sookie had anticipated, so it really wasn't much later when they had finally been given the keys to the room they had rented (with her parents' credit card) and were moving their duffel bags up the stairs to the second floor of the motel. The room had a single queen-sized bed, a coffee maker and a bathroom; it might as well have been heaven for all Sookie cared.

"Dibs on the shower," Sookie called, retrieving her bag of toiletries and a change of clothes before glancing up at Eric's silence. "Eric, we can have sex now, when I'm dirty and exhausted and hungry, or we can have sex tonight when I'm clean and happy. It's your choice, really." She put her hands on her hips, holding back a smile.

"I'll shower after," he sneered, throwing himself onto the bed and landing with his arms curled under his head.

***

"I told you the drive wasn't going to take a week," Eric commented as he carried a box into Sookie's dorm room. Sookie ignored him and stopped in the doorway, tilting her head sideways and taking in the small room. The conservative furniture spread about the room made it look bigger than it actually was, though Sookie knew that it wouldn't be so bland once she had moved all her things in. A small door in the corner revealed an empty closet, while another led to the tiny bathroom that Sookie had all to herself. Wincing, she picked up the suspicious-looking bottle of shampoo sitting by the sink and tossed it into the trash.

"It's not radioactive, you know," Eric pointed out, setting down the box on her bed and grinning at her glare before disappearing, only to return with more boxes.

"So, this is it," Sookie sighed, sinking down on top of what was now her bed.

"Yup," Eric followed her movement, "Your home for the next four years."

Sookie turned to him with a grin, "Wanna have sex?"

"I love you," Eric decided, suddenly on top of her as his mouth covered her giggles.


	8. Chapter 8

_**In Another Life... **_** by PersianFreak**

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: M

Spoilers: None

A/N: So sorry about the long wait; I had finals and things have been pretty hectic. Pretty short chapter, and we're also getting pretty close to the end, I think. Anyways, let me know what you think, please =)

* * *

University was ridiculous.

Sookie had about three hundred people in every single one of her classes and she already had two papers due by mid-September. It was enjoyable though, on some level. She loved the campus with its red-roofed brick buildings and the heat that was drier than Louisiana, and yet somehow comforting. She loved the new people – alright, she liked the hot guys – and the clichéd parties where people drunk themselves into oblivion. Above all, she loved that she had Amelia with her and that Eric had promised to visit every few weeks. Sookie smiled to herself as she lay on her bed and flipped a page.

"Can I come in?" A male voice asked and she looked up from the textbook she had been absent-mindedly looking through to smile.

"Hey! Yeah, come on in!" Steven stepped in through the open door and sat on the bed, letting Sookie take in his easy grin and curly brown hair. She liked Steven; she had lent him a pencil in class once and he was pretty funny, and tonight he was dressed in sweats and a t-shirt that was nearly as filled out as it would have been on Eric.

Eric. His name made Sookie's heart squeeze painfully; she hadn't seen him in three weeks now.

"This is what you do on Friday nights?" He asked with a raised eyebrow, breaking into her reverie.

"Hmm? Yeah," she shrugged, "I'm not really in a partying sort of mood."

"Really?"

Sookie laughed, "Why do you look so shocked? Do I look the type to party every week?"

His cheeks darkened, "No, that's not what I meant! I was just thinking that guys would be lining up to ask you to go to parties and stuff."

"Maybe," Sookie grinned, "But that doesn't mean I would want to go with them."

"Oh," he looked a little confused.

"I have a boyfriend," she clarified.

"Oh?"

She nodded, "My high school boyfriend. He doesn't go here, though."

"You're in a long-distance relationship?" He asked incredulously.

"Hey, it's not that bad!" She defended quickly. "I mean, I'm not going to pretend that it's not hard, but..." She shrugged.

"But?" He pressed, now looking amused as he made himself more comfortable lying on the bed. "You love him?"

"Yeah," Sookie nodded shyly.

"Lucky guy," Steven commented.

"I am," a cool voice agreed and Sookie gasped, launching herself into Eric's arms.

"_Eric!"_ She squealed, her legs locked around his hips as he stumbled backwards but managed to keep his balance.

"Hey, Sook," he chuckled, letting her down after a moment and looking up at the now-awkward Steven.

"Oh, Eric, this is Steven from my Lit class. Steven, this is my boyfriend, Eric." Sookie introduced, feeling herself blush at her outburst.

Eric's gave Steven a cursory look that let Sookie know he had already deemed Steven unworthy of her attention. "Hey." He nodded curtly.

"Hey." Neither boy made a move to shake the other's hand and Sookie bit her lip to keep from laughing out loud at the both of them. "Well, I'm gonna leave you two to it, then." Steven smirked a little bit, "Catch you later, Sook."

"Bye," Sookie waved at him.

"Bye, Eric."

"Bye, Stuart."

"It's Steven."

"My bad," Eric smiled angelically and Steven scoffed, closing the door behind him. Sookie shook her head at him and he aimed his innocent look at her. "What?"

"Nothing," she smiled, putting her arms around his shoulders. "You didn't tell me you were visiting this week."

"I wanted to surprise you," he pulled her body flush against his.

"Well done, Mr Northman," she murmured, standing up on her toes so that her lips were nearly touching his. Eric made an appreciative noise and nudged her nose with his. "I missed you."

"Missed you," he echoed, claiming her lips and leading her to her bed.

***

"So, next time," Sookie began drowsily, "You should probably make sure I'm not out when you surprise me." Eric's lips were pressed into her shoulder and she could feel his smile against her skin.

"Hmm, don't worry, next time I'll call ahead so you can kick out your new boyfriend before I get here."

"Hey, not nice," she pouted.

"I'm better in bed anyways," he commented.

"Not really," Sookie shook her head with a frown, "He does this thing when he's on top-" She never got to finish her sentence because Eric chose that moment to push into her again, grinning at the incoherent noise she made.

***

"I love you," Sookie whispered to Eric's sleeping form, loving the way he was sprawled with half his face hidden against the pillow. Pushing his hair back from his face, she snuggled closer to him in the bed and smiled in surprise when his arm snaked around her waist and he kissed her cheek.

"If you love me, tell me when I'm awake," he challenged with his eyes closed.

"Sorry, can't do." She pursed her lips in mock regret.

He opened one eye. "I bet you tell your other boyfriend you love him."

"My other boyfriend is better-looking," she informed him.

"Okay, I no longer like this game," Eric decided, looking more awake.

"You started it," Sookie pointed out, mouthing at his shoulder.

"Say it, Sookie." There was a strange hardness in his voice, one that made Sookie meet his eyes in surprise.

She cocked her head to the side, "What's wrong with you? You know I love you."

"Yeah, I know." But he didn't look very convinced.

"Eric, you're not jealous, are you?" Sookie asked incredulously, "Steven is just a friend!"

"Yeah, I know." He repeated gravely.

"Eric..." she murmured, placing a light hand on the side of his face. "Don't be like this. Don't be distant."

"I'm not distant," he countered, "I'm here, aren't I?"

"And I'm so glad you are," she smiled, kissing his forehead. "I missed you so much, and before you came here I was sitting here thinking how much I wished I could see you tonight and then Steven came in and I was just comparing the two of you in my mind, and you won every single comparison." Eric's eyes flicked up to hers.

"You like him." His voice was even; not even accusatory.

"I think he's cute," she told him honestly. "But he could be Brad Pitt and it wouldn't matter because he's never going to be as good as you in my eyes."

Eric gave that some thought before meeting her eyes again, "You know, I wasn't jealous."

"Oh, I know," Sookie nodded with a straight face, smiling when he pulled her face down to his.

***

It wasn't Sookie's idea to go to the party. It wasn't even Eric's. But Amelia had seemed so enthusiastic about it that Eric had shrugged and Sookie had rolled her eyes and so on Saturday night they had ended up following the other girl into the frat house practically spilling with drunken shenanigans.

"Oooooh, this is great!" Amelia was practically clapping in excitement.

_This is every after-school special I have ever seen and then some_, Sookie thought as she took in the partygoers. Loud house music was blasting from the basement and there were people _everywhere_: dancing and flirting and making out, occasionally even having normal conversations. Wincing, she noticed a particularly enthusiastic couple doing things on the couch that made Sookie blush and turn to Eric.

"This is extremely clichéd," he commented though there was amusement in his eyes. They both watched as a particularly pretty boy took Amelia's hand and wordlessly dragged her towards the makeshift dance floor.

"Oh, let's just stay long enough to please Amelia," Sookie sighed when she was gone and clasped Eric's hand.

Eric shrugged, "Sure. Want a drink?"

"Might as well," Sookie nodded. "Um, gin and tonic if they have it. Beer if they don't."

"Will do." He kissed the side of her head and disappeared into the crowd towards what he guessed was the kitchen. Left alone, Sookie continued to admire the frat house.

"Hey there," a deep voice greeted and Sookie whirled around to face the owner of it.

"Oh, hi." She didn't have to look very high to meet his eyes.

"I'm Dave." Dave's dirty brown hair was slicked back, and he had a particularly wide forehead and deep-set eyes. _He's sort of cute, _Sookie observed.

"Um, Sookie." Her _um_ sounded like _I'm_, but she figured it got the message across.

He raised a brow, "Sookie, huh?"

"Yeah," she half-smiled, "My parents wanted a quirky name for their little girl."

Dave smiled and Sookie noticed how lovely he was when he did. His eyes all but shone and the corners of them crinkled in an infectious, genuine grin.

"Are you in your second year or what?" Sookie asked.

"Third. Pre-law."

"Ooh, impressive."

Dave nodded appreciatively, "You?"

"English Major."

"Well, I hope you're prepared for the infinite number of 'cunning linguist' remarks that are going to be made by drunk boys for the next four years."

Sookie laughed out loud but couldn't help blushing, "I wasn't, but thanks for the warning."

Dave grinned, suddenly closer than before, "So can I get you something to drink?"

"Um," Sookie turned to Eric who was nearly at her side again and accepted the plastic cup he handed her, half-raising it at Dave.

"Gotcha."

She smiled, "Dave, this is my Eric. Eric, Dave."

"Hey," Dave nodded and Eric returned the sentiment, casually slipping an arm around Sookie's waist.

"_DUDE, COME ON, WE'RE PLAYING BEER PONG!_" was yelled across the room at Dave who rolled his eyes.

"I'll catch you later Sookie, Eric," he nodded at them both, smiled briefly at Sookie and hurried towards the set of stairs that led down.

"A friend?" Eric inquired, sipping at his beer.

Sookie shook her head, "He's in his third year of pre-law; I just met him."

"Huh, that guy is checking you out," Eric nodded at someone over Sookie's head and she turned to find a stocky blonde with his eyes glued to her.

"What," she turned back to him, "I'm hot, I can be checked out."

"Hmm," Eric frowned, "That you are." Sookie smiled but Eric's expression didn't change, nor did his demeanour for the rest of the night. If anything, it worsened. A few hours later, Sookie watched Eric burst into her room ahead of her and flop down angrily on her bed, grabbing a magazine at random to flip through.

"Eric, what?" she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Nothing," he flipped the page, getting his anger under control even as she watched. Sookie paused, tilting her head as he continued to ignore her.

"I'm taking a shower, then," she muttered and went into the bathroom, closing the door more forcefully than was entirely necessary. She had no idea what was going on, though she could guess. Other guys hitting on her at parties had never been a problem before because all the other parties she had been to had been high school ones where they all knew everyone and everyone knew them. More importantly, everyone knew that they were dating and so no other guys had ever actually hit on Sookie knowing that Eric was her boyfriend. It wasn't important; or Sookie hadn't considered it a big deal. The same wasn't true for Eric, though. Pam had somehow always been around to flirt with Eric whenever Sookie drifted away from him at parties, but her trust in him had allowed her to keep her distance and watch as Eric continually waved the other girl off, though it had gotten tiring after a while. She hadn't even been the only one to flirt with him, just the boldest one.

But this, this was different, Sookie thought as the warm water warmed her skin. She closed her eyes and tried to remember if she had shown any interest in the blonde boy or in Dave(the one with the brilliant smile) or in any of the other boys who had hit on her in front of Eric. Or Steven. She hadn't, had she? And if she had, why wouldn't Eric just tell her he was mad at her? Since when had he become the type to keep those kinds of things to himself? Telling him that she thought Steven was cute was clearly a mistake, in hindsight. She turned off the water and stepped out, putting on her bathrobe before walking back into her room.

"Going somewhere?"

"Yeah, Pendleton," Eric shoved more clothes into his bag and zipped it shut, patting his pocket to make sure he had his keys and wallet.

"You don't have to leave." Something in Sookie started trembling.

He checked the bedside table drawer and retrieved his keys, "Yeah, I do. Sookie, this isn't going to work out."

"You're breaking up with me?" She laughed incredulously. This wasn't happening. Why was this happening?

"Yeah," he straightened up and levelled her with his hard blue eyes.

"Is this about the party?" Sookie stepped forward, "Jesus, Eric, that was just a couple of drunk guys wanting to get laid."

"I know," he spun his keys on a finger but he was no longer looking at her.

"So that's it, then? You're just leaving without an explanation?" Eric met her gaze but didn't say anything, instead choosing to pick up his bag and turn towards the door. "Wait," Sookie walked to her closet, finding what she had been looking for in a shoebox. "Here." She thrust the little box into his hands.

"What is it?"

"Your birthday present." Sookie didn't add that she had been planning a romantic night for them during his next visit; there was no need for him to know that.

"Sook, I don't want it," he said gently, pushing it back.

"I got it for you, okay Eric?" Her voice rose in pitch and she suppressed the tears, "I threw away the receipt and I'm not gonna give someone else something that was meant for you, so just take it. You can toss it in the trash, but just... take it." Eric studied her for a second and then nodded.

"Thank you." Sookie nodded in acknowledgement and stepped around him to open the door. Eric stopped in the doorway and turned back to her, "You take care, okay?"

"Yeah, you too." Sookie was staring at her bare feet and Eric's old Nike's. Leaning forward, Eric pressed a kiss into her forehead while Sookie squeezed her eyes shut. When she opened her eyes, he was gone.

***

There was someone pounding on Sookie's skull. The vibrations reverberated behind her eyes and made her groan before dying out, only to be replaced with a high-pitched voice calling her name.

"Christ, _what_! It's open!" The door opened and Amelia practically stumbled in.

"Morning! Whoa." Sookie's friend gaped at the boy who was sitting up and flashed them both a little bit when he pulled on his boxers.

He smiled shyly at Amelia, "I guess I'll be going then. Bye Sook." Sookie groaned and mumbled good-bye into her pillow.

"Sookie, that wasn't Eric..." Amelia pointed out cautiously, putting down the coffee and donuts she had been carrying on the bedside table.

"I know."

"Why was a non-Eric boy in your bed?"

"Clothes," was Sookie's only response. Amelia sighed and tossed her shorts and a tank top from her closet, turning around obediently to allow her to get dressed, waiting wordlessly as she went to the bathroom.

"Sookie, talk to me." Sookie emerged and claimed one of the paper cups, sipping a little at its contents before finally meeting her friend's gaze.

"Eric broke up with me."

"He _what_?"

"Ow, hangover!" Sookie complained, flinching.

Amelia sat down beside her on the bed, "Sookie, why?"

"I don't know why." Was her chin actually quivering? Sookie put down the coffee.

"Are you okay?" Amelia asked gently.

She shook her head, "No. No, I'm not okay."

"Oh, honey," Amelia let her friend lean into her, hiding her face in her hair as wracking sobs began to shake her body.

"This wasn't supposed to happen," Sookie wept.

"I know," Amelia wrapped her arms around Sookie's body.

"I love him so much..."

"I know, honey, I know." Sookie squeezed her eyes shut, random memories of her time with Eric flashing through her mind in some sort of a sick joke. Thinking of exactly where her phone was sitting on her dresser, Sookie wondered if she could just call him, just to hear his voice one last time. That would probably be needy, she decided.

"I gave him his birthday present," Sookie mumbled, lifting her head.

"Aw, did you?"

Sookie nodded, "I didn't know what else to do with it. What else was I supposed to do with it?" Her voice trembled dangerously.

"Nothing, nothing," Amelia assured her hurriedly.

"He'll probably hate it anyways. Probably threw it in the trash on his way out."

Amelia smiled sadly, "I'm sure he loved it."

"I don't _care_ if he loved it," Sookie snapped savagely, "He's an asshole. You all told me he was an asshole."

"He is an asshole," Amelia agreed, "And you deserve much better, and you _will_ find someone much, much better. You know all that, right?" Sookie nodded and eyed the cups of coffee, now cold.

"_He_ told me he was an asshole," she muttered, thinking back to how he had told her he couldn't be the perfect boyfriend she wanted. He had become the perfect boyfriend, though. They had fit, in their own strange way. They'd argued over the smallest things but had worked them with the ease that came with knowing one another for years and now... Fuck.

"Come on, let's go get some actual breakfast. My treat." Amelia suggested.

"Urgh, shower first," Sookie groaned, "I need to wash all the Phil off of me."

"Was he good, at least?" Amelia asked with a grin.

"_Wrong_ question to ask, Mel!" Sookie backhanded her friend.

"Sorry, sorry," Amelia laughed quietly. Sookie picked out some clothes from her closet and returned to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. Her reflection stared back at her, her eyes looking strangely empty with the bags under them. Poking lightly at the flesh, Sookie fleetingly wondered if Eric had broken up with her because he had seen prettier girls at the party, and then laughed out loud.

"You okay in there?" Amelia called through the door.

"Yeah, just thinking," Sookie called back, still smiling. _You're a lot of things, Sookie Stackhouse, but self-conscious is not one of them so don't start now_. Eric had loved her, she knew that, and he had wanted her. The problem was that Sookie didn't know what had led to him breaking up with her.

"Whatever," she told herself quietly once under the hot stream of water. "I'll get over him. He was just some guy. I'll get over him."

Fifteen minutes later, Sookie was following Amelia to the car Amelia's parents had surprised her with when they had landed in California.

It was not lost on Amelia that Sookie casually checked all the trashcans between her door and the parking lot.


	9. Chapter 9

_**In Another Life... **_** by PersianFreak**

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: M

Spoilers: None

A/N: So this has taken... months. I have no excuse, other than diplomas and university applications and homework... Okay, so maybe that's an okay excuse. Regardless, let me know what you think.

* * *

It couldn't be, Sookie decided. It just couldn't be.

_There are hundreds of thousands of blonde guys in California,_ she told herself, _tens of thousands of them are tall and muscular, and- sweet Jesus, it's absolutely Eric. _He looked up and met her gaze, a small smile tugging at his lips. Jesus, he looked good.

"Honey, congratulations!"

"Thanks, mom!" Sookie grinned as her mother pulled her into a rib-cracking hug.

"We're proud of you, sweetheart," her dad smiled, taking his turn at squeezing the air out of her.

"Thank you, daddy," she smiled, turning at the sound of her voice being called to see Claudine making her way towards her.

"Oooh, okay," Sookie's mother smiled, "Go see your friends and we'll meet you in the parking lot when you're done, okay?"

"Sounds good," she grinned and walked over to Claudine.

"Congrats, girl!" Claudine beamed at her and pulled her into yet another hug, though thankfully this one was rather gentle.

"You too!" Sookie bit her lip in excitement.

"Excuse me," there was a tap on her shoulder and Sookie turned to find ocean-blue eyes.

Sookie returned to her friend, "Look, I have to go, but I'll see you tonight, right?"

"Yeah, 'course! I'm not gonna miss your party!"

"Great, so I'll see you then?"

"For sure," Claudine nodded happily, "See ya." Sookie hugged Claudine one last time and waited a moment before returning to the man standing behind her.

Eric looked different, Sookie thought to herself. The four years that he had spent away from her had somehow transformed his entire face, though not unpleasantly. His skin was darker, his nose was slightly sunburnt, and his hair was growing out. His eyes were as blue as she had remembered them to be, which was a comfort considering even his stance and the way he carried himself were both different. There was a quiet, effortless grace to his movements now, something that was in paradox with his considerable height and muscular form. He was dressed in khakis and a brand-new, black Stanford t-shirt that stretched across his chest, but Sookie was too shocked by his presence to ask about the shirt, for the moment.

"What are you doing here?" Sookie fought to maintain a neutral level of interest in her voice, but failed. "And why are you wearing a Stanford shirt?" slipped out before she could stop herself.

Eric smirked and looked down at his shirt, "Very sharp, isn't it? I like it."

Sookie absently noticed that he _did_ look very sharp wearing it, "Eric, why are you here?"

The amusement faded from his eyes, "I heard you were graduating today."

"You _heard_?"

"From your mom."

"You keep in touch with my _mother_?" She asked incredulously, mentally adding "And not with me?"

"No," Eric almost looked guilty. Almost. "I looked it up. Hacked in a couple of places to make sure you were graduating this year."

"Why would you care..." Sookie's sentence hung incomplete in the air, and she frowned. Eric watched her quietly, his eyes casually observing her, and she was once again struck by the feeling that something was different about him. This time, however, she voiced the thought.

"Oh?" He quirked one brow, glancing away at the sound of a high voice calling Sookie's name. Sookie's eyes followed the sound and found Amelia hurriedly making her way towards them, a grin stretched across her face.

"Look, I have to go, but we're sorta having a party, Amelia and I, and you should come if you want to." Eric looked surprised that she would invite him, but he smiled. "Do you know where I live?" She asked, and he shook his head. "That should give you something to do then. Since you're so good at finding things out." Sookie smirked at him and walked away, fading into the crowd and into the arms of her best friend, who was squealing, "We did it! _We did it_!"

Eric watched from a distance, smiling at the two friends before he himself disappeared into the throngs of people heading to the parking lot.

***

"How 'bout this one?"

"No."

"You didn't even look up!"

"I don't need to." Amelia responded, still absorbed in her newspaper, "I know you're wearing that damn blue sundress that you think brings out your eyes." She glanced up, "See, I was right."

Sookie turned back to her mirror, "It does bring out my eyes." She grumbled and, when Amelia didn't respond, turned back to her friend. "What do you think I should wear?"

"The black, strapless one," Tatiana, who had just walked in, responded in tandem with Amelia before throwing herself unto the bed with the latter and resting her head in her lap.

Amelia grinned and stroked her hair, "Hi, babe." At some point during their first year at Stanford, Amelia had gone through what Sookie had, in bafflement, dubbed her "bi-curious stage". The bi-curious stage, as it turned out, was Amelia's way of deciding that she was, in fact, interested in both men and women, even though it had taken her "some time to figure it out", as she herself put it. Tatiana had been the last in a long line of women that Amelia had gone through, and when Sookie and Amelia rented the old colonial and were looking for roommates, she had moved in, promising the other two that should she and Amelia break up things would not get weird.

That had been two years ago, and things were still going strong between the two.

Sookie critically surveyed Tatiana, "You're biased."

"Towards being fashionable; yes." Tat smiled sweetly. Sookie sighed and surrendered, quickly changing into the black dress and staring at herself in the mirror.

"Much better," Amelia nodded approvingly.

"So, why exactly are you so nervous about this?" Tat asked as Sookie checked her makeup for the thousandth time.

"Eric might be dropping by," Amelia replied sadly, and Tat looked up questioningly at her girlfriend's face.

"Who's Eric?"

Sookie winced, not sure she wanted to go through all the gory details of her relationship with Eric, but Amelia saved her the trouble by explaining exactly who Eric was.

"You think he's hot?" Tatiana asked quietly once she had finished, and Sookie almost rolled her eyes. She liked Tatiana well enough to live with and to spend time with as her best friend's significant other, but sometimes she seemed to focus on the wrong things; more specifically, the things that involved her.

"Only in a stupid, muscle-head sort of way," Amelia amended quickly, "He's not at all my type."

"Thanks," Sookie called, walking back into the room after having checked to make sure everything was ready for the party. "And I'm not dressing up for him, just so you know. I'm dressing up because we are _finally_ free of exams and finals and 100-page papers!"

"Amen, sister," Amelia grinned, standing up to straighten her cocktail dress, giving Tatiana's outfit an appreciative look.

"Also, Andrew is coming."

"Ooh, fun. The new boyfriend."

"Almost-boyfriend," Sookie corrected, entirely ignoring the feigned enthusiasm on the other two's faces. The doorbell rang and Tatiana was on her feet within seconds, screaming that she was going to get it. Amelia grabbed Sookie's hand and ran down the stairs, Sookie laughing as they heard the door open and the partygoers make their way inside.

***

Sookie stepped outside, shutting the door behind her and crossing her arms over her chest. She took in a deep breath and let it out wistfully.

"Bad party?" Sookie almost fell over as the dark figure stepped into the bright circle created by the porch light.

"Jesus Christ, Eric, what the hell?"

"Sorry," he grinned.

"I guess you found where I live, then." She sighed and sat down on the porch steps.

"Of course," his gaze flicked to the open windows from which party sounds were pouring out, "It doesn't sound like a bad party."

"It's not," Sookie carefully rubbed her eyes without smearing her makeup, "I'm just having a bad time. Well, I wasn't until just now."

Eric joined her on the steps, "How come?"

Sookie chuckled at her hands, "It's nothing."

"Liar. You might as well tell me."

Sookie looked up at him, "Um, the guy I've been sort of dating is inside and drunkenly making out with some random woman I've never seen before in my life. I don't even know why she's here."

"Idiot doesn't deserve you anyways," he commented sincerely, and Sookie looked up again at him, surprised.

"How could you know that?"

"He's stupid enough to pick someone else over you, how smart can he be?" Eric pointed out like it was obvious to anyone with half a brain.

"He's not a bad person," Sookie defended meekly and Eric snorted.

"You deserve someone better. Someone like..."

"You?" Sookie guessed.

"No," he shook his head.

"So why did you leave?"

"Sookie..."

"What, I'm not bitter. I'm just curious." She smiled charmingly, "I can be curious about why my high school sweetheart walked out on me, can't I?"

Eric watched her, the single light bulb casting shadows on his face, "Remember that party we went to?"

"Right before you left?"

He nodded, "Yeah. Remember the guys that hit on you?"

Sookie frowned. Of course she did. She had been so upset, so raw from the pain of losing him that she had returned to the party and brought back one of the guys to her dorm room for the night. That was one of the memories she suppressed because of how much respect she had lost for herself in having sex with a stranger the moment she was single, but Eric didn't know and she wasn't about to tell him, so she opted for a lie. "Sort of? Not really. It was four years ago, Eric."

"Well, I do," Eric smirked, "One was a pre-law student and they were all college kids. Ambitious, the leaders of tomorrow and all that."

"Oh, God, is that why you left?"

A shrug, "They were all like you. Smart, successful... perfect."

"So you decided that I needed to be with someone just like me?"

"Yeah, something like that."

"Do you realize how boring it is to be with someone jus t like me?" Sookie asked, amused.

"Boring?"

"Yeah, boring. You were fun."

Eric contemplated that, "Huh." They sat in silence for a while, both submerged in their memories of the past. Eric played with the ring on his index finger, spinning it around and around while she watched.

"So how have you been?" Sookie finally asked.

"I just got back from Iraq." His tone was casual like he had spent time in Vegas instead of a war-torn Middle Eastern country.

Sookie gaped, "Really? How was it?"

"Fucked up," he laughed. "But that's how the military works."

Sookie gave that some thought: it was just like Eric to fight for something he wanted to do and then decide it was fucked up without even considering a change. "So are you leaving again?"

"Not for a while," he shook his head and they fell silent again. "Hey, I'm proud of you, Sook."

"Proud of me?"

"Yeah, for surviving in Stanford. Not that I didn't think you could do it; you were cut out for this."

"Jesus Christ, Eric," Sookie scoffed. "Why are you even here?" Eric met her gaze evenly, wordlessly. "Why show up to my graduation? We haven't even spoken in four years, why-"

"I don't know." He interrupted.

"Tell me it wasn't for me."

"What?" He looked up in surprise.

"Tell me you didn't come back because you thought you'd try and win me back." She insisted. _Please say it._

"I can't tell you that," he shook his head.

"Dammit Eric!"

"We used to be best friends, Sook." He defended calmly.

"Yeah, used to be. We also used to be in love, Eric, but things change. People change."

Eric's hands went back to twisting his ring, "Do they? So you're a different Sookie now?" A pause, "I bet you even take your coffee differently. No more two-creams-and-two-sugars." He added casually.

Sookie scoffed, "You remember how I take my coffee?"

He shrugged, "I have a good memory. And I've known you since you were a kid and decided that you were a real lady who couldn't be bothered to hang out with boys."

Sookie laughed, shocked, "You remember that?"

Nodding, Eric continued, "Yeah. You didn't talk to me for a whole week until I got my mom to buy a Barbie I could give you so you would forgive me for being a guy."

"I loved that Barbie," Sookie mused to herself, smiling fondly.

He chuckled, "Yeah, but at the time you told me you weren't to be bought with shiny 'trinkets' and that the only reason you were talking to me again was because you had decided I needed your guidance if I was ever going to get a girl. I don't even know where you learned 'trinkets'." The last part he added with a shake of the head.

"I think I flipped through my mom's Jane Austen collection," she grinned and found Eric watching her, a smile on his lips. "But that's the past, Eric. You can't keep walking out of my life for years at a time and expect to be able to walk back in just because we were best friends once."

"Maybe," Eric got to his feet once more, "I guess we'll just have to see, then."

"Eric," Sookie began but he interrupted.

"Yeah yeah, I know, I shouldn't count on it." He stuck his hands into his pockets, "See you later, Sook." He was nearly at the sidewalk when he turned back, "You look beautiful, by the way." He called and kept on walking until he was out of Sookie's sight.

***

Cleaning up took nearly all day the next day. There seemed to be garbage everywhere, though thankfully not as much vomit smeared on the floor as Sookie had feared; her classmates had evidently finally grown up.

"What the hell happened with you and Andrew?" Amelia asked, picking up the beer bottle knocked sideways and hidden behind a throw pillow, slowly dripping liquid. Sookie thanked God that the couch was leather and could easily be wiped off.

"He was making out with some blonde chick in a slutty dress," she sighed, "I don't even know who she was."

Amelia frowned, "Oh, God, did she have a pierced nose?"

"Um, I don't know, maybe. I was too concerned with the fact that she was sucking his face to notice her nose."

Amelia squeezed her eyes shut, "That would be Tat's sister, Natasha."

"What is with this family and strange names?" Sookie scoffed and Amelia shrugged, clearly uncomfortable. "And I thought she lived in Utah?"

"She came to California for graduation." Her friend explained.

"Lucky me," Sookie sneered. Amelia bit her lip, caught between comforting her best friend and defending her girlfriend's sister, and for the thousandth time Sookie wished for the time when Amelia would viciously defend Sookie against asshole boyfriends and cheating sluts. "So where is she? Tat, I mean."

"Shopping with Tasha."

"Right, of course."

"Sookie, look, I'll get her to talk to Tasha and-"

"Mel, it's fine. I don't care that she- whatever."

Amelia cocked her head, "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Whatever."

"That's a lot of 'whatever's for someone who doesn't care."

"Shuddup. There's a cookie under the TV." She pointed out to her friend and Amelia grabbed the chocolate chip cookie, tossing it into the garbage bag.

"So are you going to talk to him?"

"Who, Eric or Andrew?"

"What happened with Eric?" Amelia frowned.

Sookie sent a cursory glance over the living room and sighed, tying off her garbage bag and leaving the room only to return with the vacuum. "I'm not sure." Sookie explained what had happened over the sound of the vacuum, skimming over Eric's memories because she felt they were somehow too intimate.

"What am I supposed to do Mel?" She asked several hours later once the house was immaculate once again.

Amelia paused, "What kind of thing are we talking about? I mean, you broke up four years ago; I thought you were over him."

"But it's _Eric_," Sookie plopped down on the couch, "He's... He was my best friend. And... I loved him, Mel. I loved him so much."

"He broke your heart," Amelia sat down beside her friend.

"Think about it, Mel. Have you ever seen me as happy as I was with Eric?"

"Yeah, you were happy." Amelia admitted angrily, "You were on cloud fucking nine, Sook. But then he broke up with you and left. And then four years went by. Are you really going to tell me that you're going to take him back?"

"No, I'm not saying that!" Sookie yanked her hair out of its ponytail. "He's not easy to be with, okay? I know that. I know that better than anybody. He's stubborn and high-handed and he had to be constantly reminded to depend on me, and yeah, he broke up with me. But what if he's the one?"

"Sookie, you don't _believe _in that stuff!"

"That's exactly my point! Eric is the only one that has made me believe in that bullshit!" Amelia said nothing for a long time, simply staring wordlessly at her best friend until the other spoke again. "Look, for four years I tried to move on. For four years I pretended I wasn't comparing every guy I met with him. I've filled my quota of the time I can spend lying to myself and... and I'm not saying it's logical. I'm not even saying that it's healthy, but..." She shook her head and Amelia spoke, her tone gentle.

"Are you sure you're not doing this just because of what Andrew did?"

Sookie looked down at her hands, chuckling, "Yeah. I'm pissed at him, but surprisingly I'm not hurt. I guess I wasn't as emotionally invested in the relationship as I thought I was."

"So what, are you gonna go after Eric?"

"I don't think so." She shook her head, "I mean, I don't know. I don't see him asking me out so if anything's going to happen with us, we need to have a long talk."

"Or a lot of good sex," Amelia offered mischievously.

"Or a lot of good sex," Sookie laughed, feeling tension leave her body.

***

"Um, Sookie?" Tat's voice reached her from the front door.

"Yeah?" Sookie turned off the water and dried her hands on a dish towel.

"There's a drunk, pretty boy at the door for you."

Sookie frowned and headed to the door, finding Eric leaning heavily against the door jamb.

"I'll leave you to it," Tat muttered, hiding a smirk. Sookie watched her head upstairs, hearing her speaking to Amelia a moment later.

"Hey, Sook," he mumbled, smiling innocently and reeking of alcohol.

"Eric, what the hell?" Sookie sighed, crossing her arms across her chest.

"My dad's dead," Eric muttered, glancing over his shoulder for no reason that Sookie could detect.

"What?"

His eyes met hers, surprisingly sober for a second, "They found him this afternoon... They just..." He chuckled, mumbling something about "alcohol poisoning."

"Oh my god," Sookie whispered, wanting to pull him into her arms but he chuckled again, wavering unsteadily on his feet.

"I'm gonna puke," he announced suddenly and Sookie stepped aside, pushing open the guest bathroom door. He collapsed in front of the toilet, retching violently as Sookie flinched and turned away, fighting her own wave of nausea.

"There's toothpaste and toothbrush in the drawer," she turned when he was done retching. "Come out whenever you're done." Sookie closed the door behind her and waited, fetching a glass of water while he was in there. Mr Northman is dead, she thought to herself, he's really dead. When Eric emerged a few minutes later and stood in the doorway shyly, she held out the cup. Eric eyed the liquid.

"It's just water," she promised and he nodded, leaning against the wall as he took a sip. "Come on, you can sleep it off upstairs." He hesitated and she sighed, "It's okay. I'm not going to let you go anywhere like this anyways, so you might as well just listen to me." She took his hand and slowly led him upstairs, thanking God that he kept his balance because she wasn't sure she would be able to stop him from falling. Eric stood uncertainly at the foot of her bed once they were in her room, and Sookie sighed again before pushing the covers aside.

"Come on, it's okay." He crawled under her covers hesitantly, curling up his large frame. She made to leave but stopped at the sound of him.

"Sookie?" His voice was low and slurred, and Sookie felt her heart give a squeeze at the way he said her name.

"Yes?"

"Will... will you stay here for a while?"

Sookie considered that for a mere second, "Of course." She crawled on top of her covers, and he rolled so that he faced her, a smile lingering on his lips. Sookie stroked his hair, placing a soft kiss on his forehead.

"Sookie, I'm sorry," he whispered, his breath tickling her skin.

"It's okay. Everything will be okay. I promise."

"I believe you."

Sookie smiled, "Good boy."

"I love you." He looked up, his eyes drowsy, "I always will." His eyes shone with his sincerity and she noted the way his faint blonde lashes almost disappeared against his tanned skin, the lines that spread out from the corners of his eyes, and the barely-visible scar on his cheek from the time she'd pushed him and he had cut himself on the concrete sidewalk. She also noted the way her lungs had frozen.

"... I know." She kissed him again, carefully avoiding his lips, "Sleep now."

"Okay." He closed his eyes and was snoring softly within minutes. Sookie watched him and wondered if he was a good Marine, if he was respected by the other Marines, if he at all regretted the decisions he had made. Eric mumbled and moved his head closer to hers and she fought the urge to kiss his lips. Eric's father had been a drunk for such a long time that in Sookie's mind, his condition could not have possibly ever changed. Now that she actually thought about, she saw how imminent his death should have felt, but it had still hit her harder than she would have anticipated; it had hit _Eric_ harder than she had anticipated. Knowing Eric, he had most likely not even seen his father since they had moved to the west coast and that was probably the reason why he had fallen apart like he never had before. Sookie curled up next to him, considering how Eric's grief had affected her nearly as strongly as the death itself until her eyes fluttering shut and she fell asleep.

***

Sookie rolled over, expecting to bump into Eric but instead found cold sheets beside her. She sighed, sitting upright in bed and glancing at the alarm clock. The sunlight streaming in from under the blinds confirmed the fact that she had slept through the night. Disappointed at Eric's disappearance, she rolled over and winced at the thing that dug into her hip: Eric's phone. Sighing again, she dropped back onto her pillows and squeezed her eyes shut.

"Fuck you, Eric Northman." She groaned, rolling into her pillow, "Why can't you just stay out of my _life_?"

"You okay there?" Amelia asked from the doorway, holding two cups of coffee.

"He left." Sookie complained, "He shows up on my doorstep, tells me he loves me, and then disappears. Left his phone behind, though." Amelia shook her head and put the mug down on Sookie's bedside table. "His dad is dead," Sookie continued.

"Oh my god, are you serious?"

"Yeah."

"Poor guy," Amelia commented. "He's an orphan now, huh?" Sookie opened her mouth to respond but the cellphone chose that exact moment to start vibrating, a number flashing on the screen.

Sookie shot Amelia an alarmed look, "Hello?"

"Uh, hi."

"Hey Eric," she smiled, "Need your phone back?" Amelia rolled her eyes and disappeared, closing the door behind her.

He chuckled, "Kind of. Can I come pick it up sometime?"

Sookie reached into her bedside table for paper and a pen, "Give me your address; I'll come by and drop it off right now. I have some errands to run anyways."

"Oh, you don't have to do-"

"I'm not letting you disappear again, Eric." She interrupted smoothly and Eric paused a moment before giving her his address. Sookie showered after hanging up and dressed herself in sweatpants and a t-shirt before heading out. First stop was definitely Starbucks, very conveniently located next to Sookie's favourite dry cleaner. Her dry cleaning reclaimed, Sookie stood by her car and contemplated her next destination: Eric's or grocery store? With a sigh, she decided to not keep Eric waiting for longer than she had to and threw herself into her seat, programming her GPS to lead her to the address he had given her. Twenty minutes later, she pulled in front of Eric's apartment complex. She smiled at the light-coloured bricks and the glass railings on the balconies, nicely set off by the palm trees in front. It looked like a nice place, Sookie thought as she parked her car and jogged up the stairs to the second floor and hesitated for only a moment before knocking.

"Hey," Eric opened the door, "come on in."

Sookie held out the phone, "Oh no, thanks, I have to go grocery shopping but here's your phone."

He took it, smiling in amusement, "You got my address out of me but you're not even coming in?"

"I just thought it was unfair that you knew where I lived but I have no idea where you're staying." Sookie grinned, "Which, by the way, seems like a pretty nice place."

"Well, why don't you come on in and take a closer look?" He challenged.

Sookie cocked her head to the side and shook her head, unimpressed. "Alright, alright. You better have snacks to offer."

"I have beer?"

"Grocery shopping is your friend, Eric!"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Eric grumbled, leading Sookie into the small, clean apartment. "I furnished this entire place and keep it clean, don't expect me to keep the fridge stocked, too."

Sookie looked around, taking in the Ikea furniture and the takeout menus by the phone. "I like it. Did you... buy this?" She asked and Eric glanced over his shoulders, smiling in appreciation at her comment but shook his head. "Sub-letting. I'm only going to be here for a couple of months."

"So, how're you doing?" Sookie asked carefully once Eric had found some M&Ms and had suggested she take a seat on the couch.

"Fine," he responded neutrally.

"Eric," she chastised lightly. "You showed up at my house drunk out of your mind."

"I'm a big fan of vodka," Eric shrugged, sitting down beside her.

"_Eric_."

He finally met her gaze, "I'm sorry about that. It wasn't your job to take care of me."

Sookie shrugged awkwardly, "It's okay. I didn't mind until I woke up and you were gone."

"I figured you wouldn't want to see me in the morning," Eric smirked.

"Oh, do you get that from a lot of girls?" Sookie asked, deadpan.

He shook his head, "Not at all."

"You're an _idiot_," she told him with sudden irritation.

"Oh you did want to see me?" The smirk was still there and Sookie groaned, grabbing a hold of his collar and smashing his lips against her own. _At least the smirk is gone_, Sookie noted in faint shock when she pulled away. And it was; Eric was now gaping at her and Sookie bit her lip, watching his eyes flick down to them before he leaned forward and kissed her again. This kiss quickly degenerated into a filthy mess, Eric suddenly intent on sucking her tongue down his throat with his hands clutching at her hips. Sookie made a noise and pulled away again, her breathing ragged as she put both hands on his chest.

"Eric," her voice shook and he took her hand, kissing it before cupping her face and kissing her cheeks.

"Yes?" She was pleased to see that he was as shaken as her and even though she had been planning on stopping him – really, she had – his tone made the decision for her.

"Take off your pants."

Eric chuckled, "Come here." His fingers expertly unhooked her bra and slid it off along with her shirt, freeing her hands to fumble with the button of his jeans. His own shirt was abandoned in the next moment and he was standing up to fully undress before returning back to her as she lay back on his couch. She lifted her hips obediently and he disposed of her sweatpants and panties, making a small noise as he began kissing his way up her stomach. She murmured his name, loving the way it felt to utter it after so long even as his fingers dipped down to her wetness. Mouth claiming hers, Eric pushed into her carefully and Sookie tilted her hips up. She held back a groan at the sheer size of him inside of her, her body remembering the stretch it took to handle him.

"Okay?" He asked, barely holding back with his mouth pressed against her cheek, eyes squeezed shut. A high noise escaped her and she nodded, biting into her lip but Eric remained still, waiting for her to gather herself enough for a vocal confirmation.

"Yeah, yes." She dug her fingers into his back when he began moving, eliciting a hiss from him. "More," she ordered, wrapping her legs around his waist and pushing him in deeper as he established a faster rhythm. This wasn't about prolonged pleasure; this wasn't Eric making love to her. This was about passion and desperation and being in love with someone and not being able to hold them for four years. When her orgasm hit, Sookie bit into his shoulder and felt him shudder inside of her, their bodies relaxing still entangled in each other. Head falling back against the armrest, she closed her eyes and rode the aftershocks as Eric rested his head on her still-heaving chest.

"Eric," she couldn't help cooing, "My Eric." Her lips pressed soft kisses into his hair, suppressing a noise of discontent when he sat back on the couch but then pulled her into his lap. Sookie tilted her head down to his and she kissed him again, this time slowly.

"Christ, how do you do that?" He murmured absently.

She smiled against the corner of his mouth, "Do what?"

"Make me fall for you like it's nothing, like it's your job."

"Maybe it is," she smiled.

"Cute."

"I thought so," she smiled briefly and smoothed back his hair. "Your couch is monumentally uncomfortable," she informed him seriously.

"Move in with me and we can buy another one," he offered.

"That's not funny." Eric shrugged. "I probably should have asked _before_ we had sex, but why are you back?"

"For you," he told her simply.

"You're not allowed to say that."

"It's the truth."

"You moved here because of me?"

"Yes."

"Why would you do that?"

He tilted his head to the side, "You already know the answer." Removing herself from his arms, Sookie quickly put on her clothes before turning back to face him. She felt settled with her clothes on; being naked made her feel too vulnerable for her liking.

"Never again decide what's best for me without asking me first, Eric." He pulled on his jeans and straightened up to meet her gaze. He didn't even have to ask what she was referring to. "You have no right to be so fucking high-handed. You had no right to leave... me. I was... Fuck, Eric, I didn't deserve that." She shook her head.

"I did the right thing," he insisted.

"You did the easy thing," she countered and he chuckled.

"We wouldn't be together if we hadn't broken up then. We would have drifted apart and you would have found someone."

"Why is it always me who finds someone else in hypothetical situations?" Sookie seethed and Eric's grin widened.

"Because I'm a persistent fuck who wouldn't have given up on you no matter what." There were little wrinkles on the corners of his eyes that only appeared when he smiled. "Also, because there were no women in my platoon." Eric added and pulled her gently into his arms, Sookie stiffening at the feel of his half-naked body. "I thought about you all the fucking time, Sook. You know what that's like?" She turned her head into his neck and put her arms around his waist.

"I think I have a vague idea," she mumbled into him.

"I wondered if you were okay," he continued, "if you thought about me at all, if you had found someone that made you happier than I did."

"You could have picked up a phone," she sniffled and then chuckled, feeling Eric hide his face in her hair. "You're wearing the necklace."

"You gave it to me."

"I didn't think you'd kept it. I didn't think you would wear it." Her fingers gently traced the silver anchor and she looked up at him, "Especially not four years later."

"It was my birthday present," he defended meekly, his eyes smiling. Sookie bit back her grin and returned to his arms, taking in and releasing a shaky breath.

"You never told me the significance of the anchor, though," he observed casually and Sookie groaned.

"Let's not talk about that," she suggested.

"Sookie," he said in that tone that always worked in convincing her.

"It's just, I mean, I always thought..." She sighed and hid her blush against his neck. "I thought of you as my anchor. Like the one thing that kept me grounded." Eric pulled back so she would be forced to look him in the eyes. Keeping his eyes open, he leaned down to press his lips to hers.

"See, that's the sort of thing you say that makes me feel like a dick for leaving."

"You _should_ feel like a dick for leaving."

"Thanks for that."

"It's what I'm here for," she smiled. "I have to go." She sighed a moment later and removed herself from his arms.

Eric retrieved his shirt, "Where to?"

"Grocery store," she offered as means for an explanation. "My roommates are waiting on me."

He raised his eyebrows at the plural, "Roommates?"

"Amelia and her girlfriend, Tatiana."

Eric's jaw dropped, "Really?"

"Yeah, it came as a shock to me too," Sookie smiled.

"Have you two...?"

"_Eric!_"

He bit his lip, laughing silently, "Had to ask." Sookie shook her head and grabbed her purse from where she had abandoned it by the couch.

"So I'll see you later?" Eric asked, opening the door for her.

Sookie grinned, "Well, I don't know. Are you going to ask me out?" He paused, seeming confused. "I know I already fucked you, Eric, but you're going to have to take me out for dinner before that happens again." Eric laughed, more at her choice of words than at her.

"So I'll call you sometime, then?"

"Sounds good," she nodded with a smile and turned to leave but Eric's arm hooked around her waist and his mouth pressed against hers. Making a noise of contentment, Sookie returned his kisses and put her arms around him.

"Grocery shopping in an hour?"

"Grocery shopping in an hour." Sookie agreed easily and followed Eric's lips to his bedroom.

She was still smiling when she pulled into her driveway.


	10. Epilogue

_**In Another Life... **_** by PersianFreak **

Disclaimer: Everything belongs to Charlaine Harris. Please don't sue.

Rating: M

Spoilers: None

A/N: For the last chapter, I switched to present-tense because... well, I had reasons but most of them are this feeling I have that said it would be appropriate.

Thanks once again to all you wonderful people who read this story and took the time to write me a little something to let me know you enjoyed it. I'm thinking I will be writing drabble pieces and one-shots in this 'verse, but later! Any last comments are very much appreciated =]

* * *

Eric, Sookie soon discovers, has no intentions of going back to Shreveport after his father's death. It leads to their first fight because Eric sees no need to go back considering his father had filled out a pre-need with a funeral home, which meant that all arrangements had already been made and all costs had been covered previous to his death.

"Eric, the man was your father!" Sookie tries to keep her frustration under control.

Eric leans back on the couch and regards her, "And do you want to know when I last spoke to my _father_? The day we drive to California."

Sookie gapes at him, "You haven't been home since then?! _Eric_!"

"What, it made no difference to him; he knew where I was, he knew how to contact me."

"How can you be sure?"

Eric rolls his eyes, "He had my number."

"I meant how can you be sure that it made no difference to him?" She asks quietly, watching his calm demeanour maintain itself.

"I'm sure." He tells her firmly, "He stopped giving a shit once he discovered the magic of vodka. I had to live with him, remember?" Sighing, Sookie gets off the couch.

"Well, I'm flying back."

Frustration flashes across his handsome features, "Why?" He stands up as well, towering over her, "He was nothing to you; why go back?"

"He was my neighbour," she argues stubbornly. "He was my boyfriend's dad. He deserved someone to take a little care of him now that he's gone."

Smirking bitterly, Eric asks, "You gonna bring back his ashes to California?"

"I'll figure something out. Maybe I will."

All remaining traces of humour now gone from his features, he snaps, "It's none of your business. It's not your place, Sookie!"

"You're right," Sookie retorts. "It's not my place. It's yours because no matter how shitty he was at it, he was still your dad and he deserved an ounce of respect." She realizes she's yelling and reins herself in, "Now, are you gonna put on your big girl panties and come with me to Louisiana or are you going to stay here and hold a grudge against a dead man?" Eric's jaw twitches and he glares at her, Sookie not backing down the slightest bit until his eyes cool by several degrees.

"Fine. Whatever."

"Thank you." Sookie feels herself relaxing even as Eric throws himself back on the couch and flicks on the TV, pointedly ignoring her. "It'll be good for you." No response. "I know you miss him, Eric. You can't lie to me."

"No, Sookie," he turns towards her, still sitting. "I don't miss him. I missed him when my mom died and he crawled inside a bottle. I missed him when I was going to school, I missed him when I fell in love for the first time and needed someone to tell. But not anymore. He might have as well died thirteen years ago."

"You don't mean that," she tries.

"Don't I?"

"No, because if you truly didn't care, then you wouldn't have fallen apart when you found out, and I've never seen you like that before."

His eyes, now shuttered, regard her, "I didn't fall apart."

"Don't insult my intelligence, Eric," she snaps. "And don't underestimate how well I know you."

"I don't want to talk about this," he turns back towards the TV.

"Eric," she begins but he cuts her off, his voice barely controlled.

"This isn't up for discussion, Sookie." He sees her open her mouth and continues, "Don't push it." Sookie closes her mouth and stands bolted to the spot, unsure of what to do. As if sensing her hesitance, Eric pats the cushion and Sookie carefully claims the seat next to his. "We can fly out this weekend," he mutters sullenly, eliciting a grin from Sookie who crosses her legs and lets the top one brush his. Tightening an arm around her waist, Eric kisses her hair and she tucks her head under his chin, satisfied with her one victory for the day.

***

"No, I can't take off work!" Sookie laughs good-naturedly, the phone trapped between her shoulder and ear while she makes a left turn.

"Why not?" Eric complains.

"Because I called in sick last Saturday and I can't do that again."

"It's ridiculous that you have to work Saturdays anyways," he scoffs, reminding her once again that he hates her job. Sookie works at Merlotte's Bar & Grill on Birch Street, just a few blocks from both her house and the university where she is now absorbed in the process of achieving a master's degree in psychology. It has been nearly six months since Eric showed up, unannounced, at Sookie's graduation and just as long since the day Sookie and Eric got back together.

"I rarely work Saturdays," she reminds him patiently. "And when I do, I appreciate it because I get good tips on Saturdays."

There's a silence on the other end of the line, "So what am I supposed to do?" He had been planning on driving down for the weekend, like he did at every chance he got. "I was going to come down and see _you_. There's no point in it if you're going to be working all weekend."

"It's not all weekend, it's just..." Sookie stops herself and takes a deep breath. She likes her boss; he treats her well and it warms Sookie up to him whenever he gives her a weekend shift. It's one of the reasons why she has not quit despite the fact that she could probably find a job more suitable to her chosen field of studies, but seeing Eric, especially considering how rare it happens, should take priority over good tips. Besides, she knows Eric hates how often she gets hit on working and she can hear the disappointment in his voice so she relents. "Alright, just... let me see what I can do, okay? I'll ask to switch my shift to Thursday."  
"It's okay, it's not a big deal." Eric's tone is cool.

"Don't sulk, okay? I want to see you - I miss you - I just wasn't thinking straight," she cajoles quietly into the phone.

There is a sigh, "Fine, fine. But it's not fair to yourself if you put your career before your love life." The last part is teasing, his voice turning playful.

"This coming from the guy who is going to the other side of the world to fight as a career," Sookie retorts.

"I do that for the future of our children," he responds mildly.

"_Our_ children?" She asks quietly.

"Our hypothetical children," he corrects himself.

"You don't want children?"

"I... don't know," he admits.

Sookie pulls into her driveway, "That means no."

"I don't like having this conversation when I can't see your face," Eric complains.

She turns the car off but makes no move to get out, her hands anxiously tapping on the steering wheel as she says, "Well, too bad," not unkindly. "So, kids?"

Groaning in frustration, Eric finds the words, "I don't know, Sook. Maybe someday? My future is kind of uncertain right now."

"You're a Marine, your future is always uncertain. Are you really gonna put everything on hold because of it?" Sookie can almost imagine him rubbing his eyes and running his hand through his hair. When he speaks, his voice is quiet, almost strained.

"No." He pauses, "Sook, you're the only person I could ever imagine having kids with, but not in the near future. Are you implying you want to try _now_?"

Sookie suddenly realizes that she is grinning at the windshield. "No, I just wanted to know that you want the same things as me."

"Do I?"

"Yes."

"Do I get a prize?" He sounds suspiciously hopeful.

"I'm a pretty big prize, aren't I?"

"Eh." Sookie laughs out loud and shakes her head as she reaches for her purse.

"Shut up."

"So I'm forgiven?" He has to make sure and she confirms it. "Good," he sighs in relief. "I was starting to think I was digging myself into a hole."

Having gotten what she wanted, Sookie finally steps out of her car. "You were, but you talked yourself out." She hears Eric close a door and then hears a pop can being opened.

"I do try to keep you happy."

"You make me sound like such a high-maintenance girlfriend!" She complains, waving at Amelia and hurrying to her room to throw herself on the bed.

There's a faint chuckle, "You're not. It's why I love you."

Pausing for a moment, Sookie can only say, "I know."

"Oh, come on, you can talk about having kids with me but you won't admit you love me?" He sounds more incredulous than unhappy and Sookie smiles.

"Admit? Who said I even love you?" She teases.

"Everyone loves me," he informs her seriously and she scoffs. "Don't even try to deny it. I'm a catch."

"You _are_ pretty good in bed," Sookie admits.

"I'm great in bed."

"Well, you're clearly far too awesome to even need my love, so what's the problem?"

"Ah, but you see, it's nice to hear it anyways." Sookie can't bring herself to say anything but suddenly notices how sweaty her hands have gotten.

"Eric," she says quietly and hears him sigh.

"It's okay. I've got time, I can wait."

Sookie fiddles with the button on her jeans, "Are you sure you want to?"

"I have to remind you again that I want you?"

Yes. No. Maybe. "It just seems like a waste to have to wait for me to say I love you. I mean..." She sighs, deeply, "I don't know what I mean. Remind me again why you're okay with this?"

"_Because_," he pulls the E, "I'd rather be with you and have you not say you love me than not be with you."

She has to take a second to calm her heart before saying, "The irony of it isn't lost on me, by the way."

He laughs, his voice reverberating wonderfully through the line, "The irony of you being the first to say it the last time around?"

"Yeah," she smiles at the warmth in his voice.

"Well, good! Now go to your room and think about what you've done."

Sookie glances at her alarm clock, "Okay, dad!" They say good-bye not long after, Sookie practically skipping downstairs to see whether or not it's her night to make dinner.

"It is, but I decided to give you a break." Tatiana smiles at her, "Mel and I already ate though. Sorry, we weren't sure when you'd be home." Sookie, surprised at the sudden kindness, absently notes that Tatiana really does have her moments. Her random acts of kindness is probably the only reason Sookie is not entirely fed up with her yet, so she smiles and apologizes, thanking the other girl as she helps herself to some of the meatloaf and the mashed potatoes from the fridge. While waiting for the microwave timer to beep, she makes small talk with Tat who sits with her at the dinner table and they actually share a decent conversation, talking about work and life and Tat's relationship with Mel, who has gone out to run some errands. Sookie finds herself sharing her inability to say the three magic words to Eric and finds Tat entirely sympathetic of her, telling her that if she doesn't feel it, then she doesn't feel it but that there's obviously more to it, considering how Sookie acts towards Eric.

"What do you mean?" Sookie asks, frowning a little.

Tat taps her hands on the table, not impatiently, "Well, I mean, you're together, aren't you? And you _seem_ pretty smitten with him. You didn't show half as much interest in Andrew." _Is that why your sister decided to make out with him?_ Sookie almost asks but stops herself, choosing instead to nod. "So there's gotta be something to him, especially since he's willing to drive ten hours for you every chance he gets and whatnot."

"He'll get deployed again," Sookie murmurs, the truth of it hitting her right then and she gasps quietly to herself. "I don't even know what to say. Like, how am I supposed to react knowing that he could die?"

"I can't say I know what that's like, but sounds to me like you're just supposed to be there for him," Tat tells her kindly, smiling.

Sookie scoffs, "I have to be selfless?"

Laughing, her friend nods, "I think that's the right word. But I'm sorry that you have to deal with that, Sookie. It must really suck."

"Thanks, Tat," Sookie smiles sadly. "It does suck. It would suck less if I could just make up my mind about whether or not I love him, but this will have to do, I suppose."

There's a pause before Tat stands up. "Well, it sounds like you've got some thinking to do. I'm gonna go do some reading."

"Okay, thanks for dinner."

"It was no problem," she waves her hand dismissively but stops halfway out the kitchen door. "Hey Sook?"

"Yes?"

"I know you never quite warmed up to me, even though we've been living together for two years, but you mean the world to Amelia and she means the world to me, so I hope that we're... okay." Amelia must have spoken to her about her sister, Sookie thinks and considers the other girl's words for a moment before smiling, "I guess I feel the same way, but we can work on that. We have plenty of time."

"Good," Tat grins and then waves, the sound of her feet on the stairs dying out to leave the house silent and lonely.

***

Sookie opens the door early Friday evening and grins, pulling Eric into her arms. He goes, not unwillingly, but his body is stiff.

"What?" Sookie pulls back, "What is it?" Eric hands her the envelope, still not offering any words as Sookie rips it open and reads the letter, glancing past the preamble and focusing on the gist of the letter, on the dates and time period provided in the clinical, black text. He stands in front of her as she reads it a second time, and then a third, lowering the pieces of paper and watching the orange sheen of the setting sun on her bare legs, on Eric's Converse-clad feet, and absorbing the sounds of a baseball game a couple of blocks away in Peers Park.

"Fourteen months?" She finally voices the thought resonating horribly in her head and looks up, meeting his eyes. "I'm not going to see you for _fourteen months_?" He gives no indication that he heard her and continues to watch her as if trying to gauge her mood. "Starting in a month, I won't be seeing you for over a year," she murmurs almost to herself, wondering what this cruel joke was that was being played on her. When the first tear splashes onto her shirt, it surprises him as much as it does her and he takes a step forward.

"Nonono, don't cry," he reaches out and Sookie stumbles back a bit, the letter still clenched in her hand. Eric pulls her into his arms regardless and she buries her face in his chest, shedding her tears quietly. "Please stop crying, Sookie."

"I'm not crying," she mutters defiantly, sniffling, and Eric smiles.

"Then stop leaking," he teases and Sookie laughs, tightening her arms around his waist. "I have leave for the next four weeks."

Tilting her head back, she kisses his mouth and lets it deepen. "So are you staying with me?"

Eric sucks on her lip briefly then nuzzles her nose, "Is that okay?"

Nodding, she murmurs, "I'm not letting you go anywhere."

"I'm yours." He bends to claim her mouth once again, and she leads him into the house.

***

Sookie loves waking up tangled in the sheets, tangled in Eric.

Eric always sprawls like he flopped on the bed and passed out before he had the chance to make himself comfortable, curl up like Sookie always does when she sleeps alone. But Eric dominates every space he is in, so the bed is no different. In her queen-sized bed, Eric's right arm hangs to the floor while the other is thrown over Sookie's stomach, his head turned away from her and buried in the pillow. Sookie gently pushes his arm off and kisses his bicep, closing her eyes and breathing in Eric's warm scent, the faint mixture of his cologne and soap and sweat. Eric mumbles something and turns his head to hers, smiling drowsily. Not yet fully awake, his smile is warm and vulnerable like it used to be when they were kids; it's that rare smile that Sookie fell in love with.

"Hi," she coos, smoothing his hair back and leaning in for a kiss. His arm hooks around her waist this time and brings her closer, his lips invitingly soft.

"Did you sleep well?" She makes a sound of assent and smiles when he moves on top her, continuing the roll until Sookie is on top of _him_ in the middle of the bed. Tucking her hair behind her ear, she leans down and kisses him, the kiss deepening when Sookie rocks her hips into his, smirking at how hard he already is. Eric bites at her bottom lip, drawing her mouth to his again until Sookie lifts her hips and impales herself on Eric. Still not breaking away from his lips, she establishes a torturously slow rhythm, her hands scrabbling for purchase on his muscular shoulders.

"Christ," Eric groans, fingernails digging into her hips as he tries to exert some level of control on the way Sookie is, by all means, fucking _him_. He tries to roll her over, to gain back his position, so to speak, but Sookie half-smiles and refuses to oblige. Digging her knees into the mattress, she takes his arms and pins them above his head. A part of her mocks her for thinking she can hold Eric down, but considering how distracted he is by the feeling of his own cock sliding into her at a speed he can't adjust, Eric doesn't manage to push her way. It's just as well, really, because Sookie can see his eyes almost glow the way they do when his climax is building. She buries him as deeply as she can inside herself and swallows his guttural sounds, letting a few noises escape her own throat as her mind begins to go fuzzy with want and she speeds up, her movements growing more rough as she grinds him into her sweet spot, whimpering a little at how _good_ he feels no matter how many times they do this. Well, not _this_ specifically because Sookie has never taken control like this, but the novelty of it is just that much more arousing to them both.

"I'm going to miss you so much," she chokes out and bites into her lip.

"Still here," he groans, his hands struggling to be free, to touch. She wants to say that he won't be in three weeks, that he'll be in some desert with a gun and only other guys with guns as company but her breaths are becoming more and more shallow as her muscles tighten and she squeezes her eyes shut, crying out his name as she climaxes. "_Fuck_." She pushes down onto him and Eric's climax hits him right after, a groan wrenching itself from his throat and his hands relaxed by the time she releases them.

"Christ, Sookie. Jesus Christ." Eric's fingers brush up and down her back, moving to the front to graze her hips before gently pulling her into him. She goes willingly, her eyes closed when she tucks her head against his neck. Mind still hazy from her orgasm, Sookie surrenders to Eric's attempts at rolling on top of her and sighs his name when he settles his body between her still-weak legs. "So fucking hot," he mutters into the skin of her chest, shimmering with sweat like his. Sookie teases his hair with her hands when he rests his head in the valley of her breasts and stares up at the ceiling, trying to soften the bitter edges of whatever is in the air with the post-coital contentment practically spilling out of Eric.

"I wish you would stay."

Eric nuzzles her breast and whispers, "I won't be gone forever."

"Then why does it feel like forever?" She challenges, struggling to hold back the tears, "Why do I feel like I'm going to lose you again? Why can't I just have you stay with me without having to worry about you leaving?" She's rapidly unravelling, coming undone right in front of his eyes.

"Hey," he tries to soothe her when the tears fall. "Hey, hey." Somehow they're both sitting up, Sookie in his lap, wrapped in his strong arms.

"I'm so tired of you leaving." Sookie chokes and digs her fingernails in his shoulders as if causing him pain would make his stay permanent.

"I'll be back," he promises. "I always come back to you, Sookie."

"But why do you have to leave in the first place?"

He smiles, the back of his hand brushing her jaw, "Would you love me if I was an _accountant_? Or a _lawyer_?" His tone shows his clear disdain towards both professions and Sookie doesn't even bother pointing out how she has yet to tell him she loves him. "You love me because of how I am, and that includes being a Marine," he says with absolute confidence when she doesn't respond. "Just like I wouldn't love you if you were some spineless little girl who didn't fight with me at every step of the way."

"So what, it's _romance_?" She snaps, wiping her tears, "You breaking my heart over and over again is your way of keeping me hooked?" Eric doesn't seem to have an answer for that and she feels satisfaction flood through her in the millisecond before he speaks again.

"Marry me."

Sookie freezes, her entire body going cold at the sudden proposal, "Why?"

"This is my way of protecting your heart." He smiles in that disarming way of his, "I've learned from my mistakes, Sookie."

"I haven't even told you I love you," she muses, confused.

"I don't need you to," he shrugs.

"We don't even live in the same town, Eric. How are we going to get married?"

Eric's face falls, ever so slightly. "We'll make it work."

"How?" Sookie can't help but prod, "I'm not willing to transfer and God knows you can't exactly move. You're going to get deployed and I'm going to be here for at least another three years. How are we going to make this work?"

He thinks about that without taking his eyes off of her, his blue eyes flicking from feature to feature. When he speaks, his voice is quiet, the vulnerability almost tangible. "Don't let me leave without having you."

"I love you." Sookie exhales, a smile tugging at her lips with the relief of the admission. "And you _do_ have me, baby. It's not like I'm going to find somebody else the minute you get deployed."

"Then we'll just have a long engagement," he suggests, thumb teasing her bottom lip.

Smiling, she kisses his thumb and then his mouth. "Be engaged to you?" She tries out the words, imagines what it would be like to replace _boyfriend_ with _fiancée_ and eventually _husband_. Imagines their house, imagines kids and driving to soccer practice and Christmas dinners... and then imagines long stretches of time without him, imagines loneliness.

Tries to imagine someone else in Eric's place and fails.

"You want to try that one again?" She asks quietly, meeting his gaze with a shy smile. Eric takes his time, smoothing back her hair and kissing her nose, brushing her cheekbone with his thumb before tilting her chin down to kiss her again.

"Sookie Stackhouse, will you marry me?"

"Yes."

***

Sookie gasps awake a few days later and bolts upright in bed, slowly realizing that she's home and that Eric is watching, fingers uncertainly stroking her arm.

"Bad dream?" He sits up next to her. She nods and meets his azure blue eyes, still feeling her heart beat rapidly against her rib cage. "What did you see?"

"Nothing," Sookie shakes her head and frees herself from the tangled sheets, realizing once she's standing up that she's covered in sweat. Eric lies back down and continues to watch her.

"You were saying my name, Sook."

Her head snaps towards him, "Was I?" He inclines his head. "Oh."

"It's going to be okay, Sookie." He says cautiously, "You know that, right?" Sookie considers telling him that no, she doesn't know that it'll be okay because he doesn't either, but figures there's no point in emphasizing how uncertain their future is.

"I'm gonna shower," she mutters and hurries into the attached bathroom. Sookie stands under the hot stream and fears that they won't make it far enough to get to move in together and get married and have an actual life, not if his career requires shooting and being shot at. She fears that she made a mistake, that falling for him was stupid, that they're putting too much stock into the future. Stepping out, she wraps a towel around herself and finds Eric to have already left for his run so she takes a moment to study the room and imagine how empty it will feel once Eric is gone. Sighing, she gets dressed and makes the bed, heading down to the kitchen once she's done. Amelia and Tatiana are visiting Tat's family in Utah for her mother's birthday and Sookie doesn't have the luxury of busying herself with the two of them instead of thinking about the reason for the crappy start to her day. The nightmares that she had when Eric first told her he was joining the Marines five years ago have returned in all their gory glory, though her subconscious has clearly grown more creative in the past few years. Sometimes she dreams that Eric comes back mutilated, missing limbs and bearing scars that run far deeper than his skin. Occasionally, Eric goes MIA and never comes back, Sookie forever searching for the closure that comes with burial and the confirmation of death. This last one had been your regular, run-of-the-mill nightmare portraying a gruesome death in the middle of a war zone, but Sookie hates that Eric had witnessed how upset she had been.

"Hey," Eric calls when he returns, drenched in sweat.

"Did you... sprint?" Sookie frowns. Eric nods and then shrugs, clearly unhappy that she had pushed him away earlier. "Oh, well, go shower. I'm making you breakfast."

"You made me grilled cheese?" He sniffs the air when he returns.

"Yeah, it's your favourite, isn't it?" She asks, puzzled.

He nods, amused, "What brought this on?"

Sookie shrugs, "I wanted to make it up to you."

Her fiancee brings her close, "Sookie, you don't have to make me breakfast because you feel bad. That's not the point."

"Then, what is the point?"

"The point is that you don't just me push me aside every time you have a problem."

"I don't-"

"Yes, you do, Sookie. You're strong and independent and that's fine. More than fine, actually because I admire you for it but that's not marriage. Marriage doesn't just mean that we have sex and live together, it means that you gotta depend on me once in a while, too."

"You don't depend on me, either." He blinks in surprise. "You don't. You're so take-charge and my-way-or-the-highway that I'm barely a part of your life."

"What?"

"It's the truth. Maybe I don't ask you for help when I need it, but you're just as independent. I mean, you don't even show that you're upset about being deployed. It feels like I'm the only one unhappy about this!"

"Yeah, you got me; I'm thrilled to be away from you for fourteen months." She gasps. "It was a joke! Jesus, how can you say that?"

"Because _I_ can't get the fact that you're being deployed out of my head but _you_ don't seem to have a care in the freaking world."

"I don't have a care? _I don't have a care_?" He was yelling now, his anger evident in his every gesture, "This is my life, Sookie. _This_ is my life, the deployments, the fighting, the very real possibility of dying on the other side of the world from you. But I can't always worry about it because it was my decision, it was a choice I made about how to live my life."

"Yeah, it was _your_ choice. A choice you made about _your_ life when we were together, that you hid from me, and a choice that _I_ have to live with now because we're together. And yet none of this seems to bother you. It's like I'm some call girl that you like having around when you're in town until you have to leave and then I'm left wondering what the hell..." She drifts off at the absolutely furious look in Eric's eyes, and the rest of his face which is suddenly absolutely expressionless.

"If you think that is what I think of you, then it's a good thing we _didn't_ get married," he hisses and then he is gone, grabbing his car keys before he slams the door shut.

***

Sookie knocks tentatively and waits for the motel room door to open. Contacting Eric had taken far longer than usual seeing how he had refused to answer her calls for the first two days, but eventually he had given in and answered, his voice cold and evasive until he finally told her where he was staying. It almost feels like another two days have gone by, but eventually Eric appears in the doorway without a shirt, his cool eyes slowly taking her in.

"Hey." Sookie smiles and Eric nods in acknowledgement so she holds out the roses. "Your fiancée was feeling really bad about the fight you guys had, so she sent me to bring you these flowers as an apology. Y'know, since I had absolutely no involvement in the fight."

"Uh huh," he raises a brow. "Well, you tell my _fiancée_ that her apology isn't accepted."

Sookie would feel her heart give a squeeze at the novelty of the phrase 'my fiancée', but can't because she has to smack her hand on the already closing door. "Eric, come on, stop making me out to be the bad guy."

"Oh no, you're not the bad guy. I'm the one who keeps you around like some call girl, remember?"

"I didn't-" She cuts off as a maid walks by, smiling softly at them. "Come on, can I just come inside? Please?" Eric considers that and then opens the door just enough to let her squeeze in before closing it behind them. It's a motel room just like all the others, burger wrappers balled up on the bedside table and the TV remote tossed onto the bed. "I didn't mean that, okay? I didn't. You don't... treat me like a call girl. It was unfair to say that to you."

"And rude."

"And rude."

"And demeaning of how I feel towards you."

Sookie sighs, "And... demeaning of how you feel towards me. But admit it, I had a point too."

"Sookie, you can't blame me for being a Marine. You knew what you were getting yourself into."

"Fine, maybe I did, but maybe I expected a little bit more from you. I mean, how can you be okay with leaving? How can you be so blasé about being gone when I'm falling apart over here?"

Eric throws his hands up in the air, "I don't have the privilege of falling apart, Sookie! I never have!"

"You have with me!" Her voice shakes, "I'm your best friend and I love you. Why can't you bring yourself to just show a tiny bit of remorse about leaving me behind?"

Eric's remorse, as it turned out, appeared in the form of a breath-taking kiss.

"I love you." His eyes are blazing and he seems almost angry, defiant. "I love you so fucking much that it's killing me to even think about leaving you because it killed me to walk away from you all those years ago and it's scaring the crap out of me to be gone. And it makes no sense to me because I wasn't half as scared when I went on my first deployment and you're supposed to be damn _terrified_ for that but this - _this _is killing me." Sookie looks up at him and exhales shakily, carefully placing her palms on either side of his face and softly stroking his cheekbones. "I'm sorry," she whispers and realizes there are tears running down her face even though she's smiling.

"Sorry for making me love you?" He laughs.

Sookie nods shyly and brings her body even closer to his. "I really love calling myself your fiancée, by the way."

"I like hearing it, love."

"I like hearing you call me 'love'," she smiles into his chest then tilts her head back. "Come home?" She asks hopefully and he gives her a long look, nodding at last.

***

The day arrives and Sookie clings to Eric as tightly as he is returning the favour and kisses him, telling him over and over again to be careful, to come back in once piece, to not keep her waiting a moment longer than he has to because did she mention that she loves him and can't wait until he's back? And besides, they're engaged to be married and in her mind she's already figuring out anniversary presents for the double digits, so she just wants this part over and done with. Eric chooses that moment to surprise her with the engagement ring she never had because apparently, his combat pay from his last deployment was burning a hole in his pocket and what better way to get rid of it than to buy her an engagement ring? Sookie watches him walk away, rocking on her feet just for the sake of doing _something_ that'll keep her grounded because the one thing that usually keeps her grounded is walking away from her, flying to the middle of the desert to fight for people he doesn't know and who most likely will never know him, will never know his story just as surely as he will never learn theirs. Spinning her ring on her finger, Sookie makes her way back to her car and drives home only to crawl under the covers, smelling Eric as she shuts her eyes and falls asleep.

***

She gets letters occasionally.

Eric hates writing letters; he once told her that on paper, everything sounds more dramatic because everything means more, every words carries more weight when you can look at it and rewrite it but choose not to, and he hates having his words analyzed like that. He like doing the analysis himself, Sookie thinks but is grateful that he still makes the effort to write, even if his letters almost feel encrypted in the way that he never writes 'I love you' nor does he ever tell her that he misses her, and he refuses to bitch about the conditions he is forced to endure as a Marine. Instead, he signs the letter 'Yours, Eric' and tells her funny things that his friends do or stupid things that his superiors say, and when he writes 'you should have been there', it's enough to let Sookie know that he wishes she was there.

Sookie has a pregnancy scare the week after Eric leaves and she spends days barely aware of the world while she prays to be proven wrong, and when she is, she sighs in relief and tells Eric nothing, choosing instead to throw herself back into the academic life of getting a graduate degree. She long ago changed her major from English to Amelia's chosen field of Psychology, finding herself far more fascinated with Psych than with literature. Eric always teases her about it, claiming that she reads him well enough to not need a degree in Psychology and God forbid she start psychoanalyzing him and his messed up childhood.

_**14 months later**_

Sookie stands beside Jenna, Eric's friend Owen's wife of five years and wonders how she did it, how she continues to do this. Well, _this_ part isn't so bad; this part is the part she's been dreaming of for the past fourteen months, but so much time led up to this and Sookie is already questioning how she's going to be able to handle the next time Eric is deployed. But Jenna seems at peace with this, she's happy and excited, and she has her arm around six-year-old Gracie so Sookie lifts up little Brent and settles him on her hip.

"Hey, Brent," she coos and he giggles, babbling and drooling a little bit.

Jenna laughs, "Here, you're going to need this in a second." She hands Sookie a tissue which comes in handy when Brent drools against her throat. "How're you feeling?"

Sookie dabs at the wet spot on her skin, "Good. I think."

"I cried like a baby after Owen's first deployment." Jenna fixes Gracie's hair.

Watching Brent's face, Sookie smiles, "I'm too happy to cry. Well, maybe once we get home, I haven't decided yet." Besides, I got it all out when he left, she thinks to herself.

"Daddy!" Gracie cries out then and her mother reaches for her too late because she sprints and smacks into Owen, who laughs and kneels down to greet her. Brent is struggling to free himself so Sookie puts him down and lets Jenna take his hand and lead him to his target. Left alone, Sookie stands on her tiptoes, searching for the familiar tall figure but doesn't find him through the crowd of Marines and families. Quickly, she looks down and smoothes her black dress and checks her grey high-heeled boots for any scuffs, clasping her hands in front of her as she continues to look for him.

"Can't find your Marine?" A familiar voice calls and Sookie's face lights up as her eyes lock onto Eric's, though she shakes her head. "Well maybe I can help you out. What does he look like?"

Sookie shrugs, "He's pretty average-looking."

"Oh yeah?" Eric frowns, "Not extremely tall or good-looking or anything? Brad Pitt-esque?"

"No," Sookie shakes her head, "More Danny DeVito than Brad Pitt, really. I settled," she adds with a self-deprecating smile.

Eric inhales through his teeth regretfully, "Sorry, I don't think I can help you there. I do know a tall good-looking guy-"

"That's not him," she interrupts sadly and gasps when his mouth crushes against hers. Lifting her up, he lets Sookie wrap her legs around him.

"Hey," Eric kisses her, breaks away to smile before kissing her again. _Hey_ is exactly what she had been expecting from him, like _Hey honey, I bought milk _and it still manages to sound beautiful in her ear.

"Hi baby," she whispers, arms and legs still tight around him as she presses a kiss into his temple and closes her eyes, his solid presence calming her. "You stink," she smiles, eyes still closed.

Eric laughs, "Yeah, I know."

"I missed you."

His laugh is much darker this time, "Yeah, I know." Sookie hops down and brings him close for another deep kiss, feeling herself unravel at how wonderful he feels against her, how warm and familiar and _real_.

"Come on, there's a hotel room with a shower and a bed that I can't wait to get to." They say good-bye to Owen and Jenna, Owen and Eric promising to see each other soon – though not too soon, Eric laughs – and then they are in the car, driving a little over the speeding limit.

"Hungry?" Sookie asks as the pass an Olive Garden.

"Yeah, but I've prioritized," Eric leers and Sookie bites her lip, blushing. Ten minutes later, they burst into the hotel room, lips already locked.

"No," Sookie murmurs, "shower, Eric!"

"Tell me you don't want me," Eric whispers.

"I want you... and I will have you once you've washed off half the Iraqi desert," Sookie smiles. "Come on, go shower, and I'll be here waiting when you get out." Eric grumbles incoherently and breaks away, stomping to the shower and slamming the door behind him. "I love you," she calls through the door and hears more faint grumbling. When Eric emerges twenty minutes later, Sookie is sitting on the bed, leaning against the headboard.

"Hey," she smiles more at the fact that he's covered by the virtue of a single towel around his waist; he looks like some sort of commercial for shower gel.

"You're not naked yet," he complains.

"I'm sorry." Sookie apologizes rather sincerely, "I figured you'd want to do that bit."

"Hmm," Eric cocks his head to the side and crawls onto the bed, nudging her legs apart to get closer to her. "I have another idea," he kisses the corner of her mouth and works his way down to her throat, Sookie's moans urging him on.

"I want you," she murmurs and reaches down to stroke him and he gasps against her chest. Feeling clumsy and amateur, she pumps him a few times until she feels the hand under her skirt rubbing at her already-damp panties. "Jesus." Sookie struggles to take off her dress but he stops her.

"Leave it on," he whispers and pushes her underwear aside to stroke her.

"Eric," she moans and tilts her hips to get more of his touch. Eric chuckles and slides her underwear off, pushing roughly into her. Sookie gasps at the faint pain that dissolves into pleasure and wraps her legs around his waist.

"I missed you so fucking much," he groans. "Not just this, everything." Sookie's fingers dig into his back, making him hiss and thrust into her even harder.

Sookie makes a sound, "Missed you. Fuck. I missed you." She adjusts the angle of her hips and presses his ass into herself, murmuring in encouragement when he is as deep as he can get inside of her. They kiss sloppily, lips brushing without breaking the rhythm. Sookie doesn't even care that they're scratching and leaving red marks, that their kisses keep degenerating into biting and sucking, and that their fucking is more of a fight, fight over who wants more and who is going to get off first. It makes no difference that Sookie is going to be sore as hell tomorrow and that her body is going to look like a war zone just like his, and when her orgasm slams into her, she cries out and feels herself tighten around him as she bites into his shoulder. Eric's climax is triggered by Sookie's and he thrusts a few more times before he collapses on top of her.

"Jesus Christ," Sookie breathes.

"But call me Eric," he smiles and earns himself a half-hearted smack as he's freeing her from the wrinkled dress. Now naked, Sookie pushes him until they end up on their sides, lying close enough that there's absolutely no space in between them.

"Welcome back, baby." She murmurs as her hand wanders down to him, hard once more.

He presses a kiss into her lips, "Good to be back."

***

They take separate cars, but Amelia makes sure to call Sookie every couple of hours during the ten-hour car ride to let her know that she should take a day to at least find a dress halfway resembling a wedding gown. Each time, Sookie laughs and agrees good-naturedly, hanging up somewhere in the middle of Amelia saying she will regret not wearing a dress for the single most important event of her life. Sookie begs to differ, but she doesn't say anything. The most important event of her life, in her opinion, is saying "yes" to Eric and agreeing to get married in Vegas. Her mother will probably kill her, but she can't really blame Sookie for wanting to get married as quickly as possible to her Marine soon-to-be husband. Sookie doesn't say any of this to Amelia, of course, because she is already more than grateful that Amelia is willing to drive all the way to Vegas just so her best friend can get married, even if it means that Tatiana is accompanying them. Sookie just smiles and sinks lower into her seat, propping her knees up on the dashboard and watched the scenery flash by, squeezing Eric's hand when it seeks hers out. Letting her head roll towards Eric where it rests on the headrest, Sookie watches him quietly, noticing the bright colour of his eyes and the even tan of his skin that comes from spending so much time outside.

"Contemplating what you've gotten yourself into?" Eric asks, smirking. In response, Sookie lifts his hand and kisses the back of it, clutching it in both of hers. "So that's a 'no'?" His tone softens with his eyes and he glances over at Sookie. "You know, it's okay if you want to take a day to buy a dress."

"I don't _need_ a wedding dress," she smiles. "Besides, if I get a dress then you'll have to be in a tux, and that takes the shine off of being spontaneous."

"I look good in a tux," he mutters.

"Yes, you do," Sookie agrees heartily, flashing back to prom. "But we don't need that. We don't need the fancy clothes and that flowers and the open bar." Eric grins in agreement and entwines his finger with hers.

***

"I do."

"By the power invested in me by the state of Nevada, I now pronounce you man and wife. You may kiss the bride." Smiling for all he is worth, Eric bends down and kisses her, his hands pulling her hips toward him. Sookie rests her hands on her husband's shoulders and giggles into his mouth, pulling away to grin at her friends.

"Congrats, Sook," Amelia squeals and throws her arms around Sookie.

"Thank you for being here, Mel," Sookie whispers before being pulled into Tat's arms, vaguely aware of Eric being congratulated by Clancy and Owen who had met up with them in Vegas. Both now released by their friends, Eric puts an arm around Sookie's waist and they begin heading out, the name "Sookie Northman" reverberating again and again in her mind.

***

Sookie can't stop kissing Eric. Even when he broke away to breathe, Sookie's lips wandered down to his neck and shoulders before Eric guided her back up to his face. Rolling on top of her, Eric laughs breathlessly and trails kisses up the line of her jaw, nuzzling where it meets her neck.

"I can't believe we're married," she murmurs and runs her fingers back through his hair.

"I can. I've been waiting for this since I was fifteen."

Laughing, Sookie kisses his nose, "Your fifteen-year-old self wanted to marry me?"

"It wasn't so much 'marry' than it was to never see you with another man," Eric admits without the smallest hint of an apology.

Sookie shakes her head in disapproval but can't stay unhappy for any longer than that. "Then it's a good thing I fell in love with you." He raises a brow.

"I'm never going to get used to hearing you say it," he comments with a smile.

"That's okay. We have a lot of time."

He nods, rolling onto his side and taking her with him, "Thank God for that."

"I'm trusting you with my heart," she whispers and leans into him, pressing a kiss into his neck and Eric grins in that defenceless way of his.

"I won't let you down." He pauses, playing with the ring he slid onto her finger hours before, "Do I get to actually hear you say you love me?" Lips so close to Eric's she can practically feel them brush against his, Sookie giggles.

"I don't know. I think you need to work for it, don't you?"

Her husband raises a brow, "I thought making you scream was considered working for it."

"Touché." She laughs.

"So?"

"I love you." She presses her thumbs against his lips, "Happy?"

Eric shrugs and makes a noncommittal noise before his face breaks into another wide smile. "Very."

***

They drive back the next morning and fly to Louisiana two days later, mostly because Sookie is afraid that if she puts off giving the news to her parents for any longer, her mother will disown her. Her parents came to California when Eric got back and stayed for a few days so it had been less than a month since they saw each other, but they still seemed rather enthusiastic about the idea of Sookie and Eric flying in. The two of them discuss the idea of Eric waiting in the rental car while Sookie goes inside but eventually decide that there's no point in putting off the inevitable, especially since Sookie's parents are expecting both of them. It takes Mrs Stackhouse exactly twelve seconds (Eric counts) to notice to gleaming ring on Sookie's finger while waving them inside and approximately one second to go from gasping in happiness to being displeased that they eloped and then right back to being happy for them.

"I'm trusting my daughter to make an honest man out of you, Eric Northman," she informs him and Eric laughs, shock apparent on his face.

"So you finally went ahead and tied the knot, eh?" Mr Stackhouse observes after his initial shock has worn off. "Guess it was bound to happen eventually."

"What do you mean?" Sookie asks, surprised, but her dad just smiles and kisses her cheek before he walks away, shaking his head. Sookie turns her gaze on her mother.

"Oh come on, it's not like you two were any good at hiding how head over heels you are about each other." The older woman chuckles quietly to herself and proceeds to ask them what they want for dinner.

"Wait, so you're actually not mad that we eloped?" Sookie wants to make sure while Eric takes a shower upstairs to wash away the grime of travelling.

Her mother shrugs, "Well, a little. I'm not going to pretend I didn't think about your wedding one day, but it's your life and you chose to not have a wedding. It's not really my place to be upset now, is it?"

"What about dad?"

"He just wants you to be happy, Sookie." She smiles and instructs her daughter to retrieve a bowl for the salad. "Are you happy?"

"Yeah, I am." Sookie feels her cheeks redden.

"I can't imagine it's easy being married to a Marine."

"It's not. I mean, just the thought of him leaving again kills me a little bit but it's better than..." Her sentence drifts off.

"Better than not having him at all?" Her mom is smiling knowingly and Sookie smiles.

"Yeah. I love him." She shrugs like it explains everything, and maybe it does.

"Aww, Sookie. Come here." Closing her eyes, Sookie breathes in the familiar scent of home and revels in the feel of her mother's arms. Kissing her cheek, Mrs Stackhouse releases her daughter and turns swiftly away, dabbing inconspicuously at her eyes.

"That went well, didn't it?" Eric murmurs later that night, pressing a kiss into Sookie's forehead as they lay in the queen-sized bed in her parents' guest bedroom.

"Yeah, it did."

"You look happy," he smiles and taps her nose playfully, making her laugh.

"But you don't. What's up?"

"I'm happy," he argues but his smile has yet to reach his eyes.

Sookie ducks down to kiss his chest, "I don't believe you."

Eric shrugs, "It's being here. Being home, y'know." It feels like a bucket of ice water has been dumped on Sookie; of _course_ he's upset. The house next door, the one with the paint splatters on the driveway from the time Eric and Sookie got carried away helping her dad paint their porch is the one he grew up in, the one his father died in. How could she not realize how hard it is on him being here?

"Oh God, Eric I'm so sor-" He gently puts a hand on her mouth and stops her stream of apology.

"It's okay, it's where your parents live. It couldn't exactly be avoided." Sookie kisses the palm of the hand covering her mouth and pulls it away to kiss his mouth.

"We can leave earlier," Sookie murmurs.

"We're not leaving early after telling your parents we're married. They would hate me."

Sookie can't help laughing, "They can't hate you! My mom has thought of you as part of the family since you were five."

Her husband kisses the corner of her smiling mouth, "Maybe. But I'd rather not take that chance, okay?"

"Sure, whatever you say, baby."

"What was _that_?"

"My obedient wife routine. I thought I'd give it a try."

"It doesn't suit you, love." Eric smirks in the half-dark.

Sookie grimaces, "I didn't like it either. It felt _unnatural_."

Eric is still smiling when Sookie closes her eyes and falls asleep.


End file.
